COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio children 16 or younger would have to wear a helmet while riding a bike, under legislation introduced on Tuesday.
READ MORE: In the Columbus Dispatch
Backed by the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Sen. Shannon Jones (R-Spingboro) said having a state law in place would increase the usage of bicycle helmets. According to the Academy, only about 20 percent of children in Ohio wear bike helmets, through more than 70 percent ride a bike regularly.
If the bill is approved, Ohio would join 22 other states and the District of Columbia in having a mandatory helmet law for children.
Dr. Sarah Denny, co-chair of the injury committee of the Academy of Pediatrics and an emergency department doctor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said she has heard kids say they don’t need a helmet because they have good bike skills.
“There are so many variables when you’re riding a bike that it’s just not worth taking the risk,” Denny (pictured second from right) said. “It’s not about your skill level. That’s why professional bikers wear bike helmets.”
Hear an interview with Dr. Denny
The Academy estimates that 75 percent of bike-related fatalities would have been prevented by a helmet, and a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. A $10 helmet, Denny said, can save the health-care system $41 per child.
Some states, including West Virginia and Pennsylvania, have mandatory bike helmet laws, as do some Ohio municipalities. Columbus has required children under age 18 to wear helmets since 2009.