Jodi Stanley - WKTV Journal

“Lead by example and keep your kids safe by requiring them to always wear a helmet when riding.” (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jodi Stanley, Spectrum HealthBeat

The joy of bicycles is a beautiful thing.

Great exercise, endless games and the freedom to “travel” as a kid.

But before the kids flip up the kickstands for the season, hit the brakes for a minute.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration urges everyone to remember that bicycles aren’t toys—they are vehicles, officially—and even experienced riders should do what they can to minimize risk.

Applying that perspective to your family’s youthful riders should motivate every family to do what we can to prepare and prevent accidents before they happen.

And while it might seem about as fun as a flat tire, knowing, understanding, and taking steps to prevent bicycle mishaps now can make a smooth, happy ride for the rest of the summer.

“Bike riding is a great family activity,” said Jennifer Hoekstra, program coordinator of Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Program and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids.

“Lead by example and keep your kids safe by requiring them to always wear a helmet when riding.”

Why wear a helmet?

Consider these facts about bicycles, kids and injuries from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and www.helmets.org:

Helmet use is lowest (for all ages) among children ages 11 to 14.
Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury and the risk of brain injury.
The Center for Head Injury Services reports that 85 percent of all head injuries in bicycle accidents can be prevented by wearing a helmet.
Bicycle helmets have also been shown to offer substantial protection to the forehead and midface.
Universal use of bicycle helmets by children ages 4 to 15 could prevent between 135 and 155 deaths, between 39,000 and 45,000 head injuries, and between 18,000 and 55,000 scalp and face injuries annually.
Child helmet ownership and use increases with the parent’s income and education level, yet decreases with the child’s age.
Children are more likely to wear a bicycle helmet if riding with others who are also wearing one.
In a national survey of children ages 8 to 12, 53 percent reported that a parental rule for helmet use would persuade them to wear a helmet, and 49 percent would wear a helmet if a state or community law required it.

Bicycle helmet use by every rider, of every age, for every ride should be every family’s rule.

Kids may think they look “babyish” or “uncool” with a helmet. Teach them it’s just the opposite.

When possible, let them pick out their own helmet or add flair if it helps them get into it. And if they still hate it? Tell them it’s the rule to ride and stick with it.

When parents ride without helmets, kids are quick to copy. They may wonder why, if it is a big deal, mom and dad aren’t wearing them, too. The moral of the story is everybody should wear a helmet, every ride.

It’s a no brainer

Correct fit and proper positioning are essential to the effectiveness of bike helmets at reducing injury.

One study found that children whose helmets fit poorly are at twice the risk of head injury in a crash compared to children whose helmet fit is excellent. In addition, children who wear their helmets tipped back on their heads have a 52 percent greater risk of head injury than those who wear their helmets centered on their heads.

“Remember, it can only protect their head if they wear it correctly each and every time they ride,” Hoekstra added.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

Car seats and boosters can save lives. Just ask this family – The Smith kids, Olivia (4), Blake and Evan (1) get ready for a road trip. The Smith family, Ben and Janna, and kids Olivia, Blake and Evan, 1. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jodi Stanley, Spectrum HealthBeat

In 2011, Janna Smith was riding in the back seat of the car with 4-month-old daughter, Olivia. Her husband, Ben, was driving when they were hit broadside by another car. The impact took place on Olivia’s side.

“I could see the base and carrier of Olivia’s car seat move slightly with the impact but then return to its original position, which was exactly what it was designed to do in an accident,” Janna explained.

While Janna suffered some painful injuries, Olivia was unharmed. And it was her car seat that saved her. While that’s a happy ending, the story doesn’t end there.

Always count on change

Fast forward to 2014.

After many struggles to become pregnant with Olivia, Janna and Ben decided to try for a sibling. They focused on their appreciation of Olivia, no matter what the future held.

When they found out they were having twins, they couldn’t have been happier. Nearly as surprising was how complicated it became to find a new car that would fit all three kids across one bench seat.

The Smiths knew from their scary accident how important it would be to have that row of car seats lined up in rock-solid, life-saving perfection.

“We looked at so many cars,” Janna said. “Will three car seats fit? No kids in the way back. Is there enough cargo room? Scratch that one, it’s got a console in the middle. Can it tow our trailer?”

Finally, they found a used Lincoln Navigator that fit the bill.

Brothers Evan and Blake, were born five weeks early on April 24, 2014. They spent their early weeks in the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Did Janna and Ben assume the knowledge they already had was up to snuff when it was time to take the new babies home?

“No way,” Janna said. “You can’t leave anything to chance. We knew all too well from our accident with Olivia how important it is to have everything snapped and perfectly adjusted. She was safe from the direct hit because the straps were adjusted for her body. You can’t underestimate the value of that, which is why we still have our seats checked as the kids grow. How do you know they are buckled right? You go to the pros. We’re on a first-name basis.”

What you might not know

While awareness of proper child restraint use in cars has increased, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration still estimates that about 75 percent of child seats and boosters are improperly installed in family vehicles.

The Smiths considered themselves lucky to be part of the positive 25 percent.

In the Smiths’ case, and for all families whose babies are going home after a NICU stay, there is extra assurance that all is well. NICU babies must pass a car seat test with monitors attached, before they can be discharged from the hospital. This automatically ensures that NICU parents receive expert guidance from the first ride home. But every healthy baby going home is just as precious, and help is easy to find.

So, before Evan and Blake got to check out of the hospital, the Smiths consulted the experts at Helen DeVos Injury Prevention program, with Olivia and the two new car seats. They learned how to get all three seats properly secured on the bench seat and confirm how to assess strap and buckle placement for each child.

“It’s not just about the car seat user manual, either,” Janna added. “Look in your car’s owner’s manual to confirm how your vehicle is designed to work with infant/child safety seats. At the Safe Kids car seat safety check events, they thoroughly install your seat in your car with your kids. They installed an additional convertible car seat in my mom’s conversion van, too. If grandparents or babysitters will be transporting your kids, their vehicles are just as important.” To get started, watch our video on how to properly secure your baby in the car seat.

If possible, plan for each car to have its own car seats. If that’s not an option, make sure everyone who is moving the seats from one car to the next is completely educated on the details. If in doubt, stop in at a local fire department to have the seats checked or to be installed in the other vehicle before transporting. Having little ones safe at every trip, in every vehicle is critical.

Today, Olivia Smith is a charming, precocious 4-year-old. She loves her role as big sister of her equally adorable twin brothers, who just turned 1 year. And Ben and Janna Smith enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing their kids are as safe as can be, every trip, every car, every time.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.