Kids can get a free bike helmet from TuscParks
TuscParks will give away 67 children’s bike helmets to families in the region as a part of the “Put a Lid On It” campaign.
May is Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Month. To celebrate, the Tuscarawas County Parks Department will give away children’s bike helmets on Saturday, May 15 at the Canal Lands Park Trailhead at the intersection of Dover-Zoar Road and Towpath Road. A total of 67 helmets will be handed out on a first come, first served basis between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Jesse Rothacher, park manager, said the helmets are provided by the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics via its “Put a Lid On It” campaign in partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation.
“I saw the event and thought it would be great to do something to help families in our local communities, so I applied for the grant,” Rothacher said. “Ever since COVID shut things down, we’ve noticed a lot more people using the trails. I thought this would be a great opportunity to engage with the community and make sure if a child in our community needs or wants a helmet, we could provide it.”
Helmets will be available in two sizes to fit kids approximately age 6-11. “We will help ensure helmet size and fit onsite,” Rothacher said. “We’ll also provide information on bike safety trail etiquette.”
Rothacher said teaching proper trail etiquette is important with all of the new people hitting the trails this spring. “People don’t often realize we have equestrian users, people on bikes, people walking or jogging, and people walking their dogs. It’s important to know who has the right of way and how to signal to others you’re coming up behind them and passing,” he said.
The main objective of the event, though, is to get kids wearing helmets. According to Rothacher, statistics indicate younger children are good about wearing helmets, as are older adults. “There is a transition point where kids start to exert their independence and don’t want to wear helmets,” he said. “We hope to start normalizing wearing helmets among kids. Even some adults think it’s not really cool to wear a helmet, but it’s really cool not to be in the hospital with an injury.”
According to OCAAP, approximately 51,000 people are injured each year by not wearing bike helmets. It’s enough people to fill nearly half of Ohio stadium. Statistics from the National Safety Council show head injuries make up one-third of nonfatal bicycle injuries.
Rothacher also said whether or not helmets are worn can depend on having access to them. “Sometimes, families with multiple children may not have the money to buy all the helmets they need. This event can help with that,” he said.
If you miss this event, there are other organizations in the county participating in the helmet giveaway with events throughout the summer.
Canal Lands Park Trailhead is located at 8645 Dover-Zoar Road NE in Dover. The rain date for the event is Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit TuscParks’ Facebook page at https://fb.com/tuscparks for updates.