Adirondack Sports & Fitness - From the Publisher

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Wear Your Lid!

I was saddened to read the news about a local teenager who hit a narrow crack in the road causing him to fall off his skateboard, thrusting the 16-year old face first into the pavement. He died from head injuries. He would have been a junior in high school this month. If he was wearing a helmet, there is a good chance that he would be entering school right now, with his friends.

Anything that lets you travel fast on wheels on a hard surface will involve crashes, and the hard surface indicates you should wear a helmet. If cars are present that advice becomes critical. As of 1994, New York State Law requires that children under 14 must wear helmets when bicycling and in-line skating. Unfortunately, there is no mention of other sports that should also require helmet use.

According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, there are lots of bicycle helmets out there that are designed to an identical standard to offer adequate protection for the following activities: bicycling, in-line skating, horseback riding, scooter riding, skateboarding, sledding, skiing and snowboarding, whitewater canoeing and kayaking.

In support of safe recreation and transportation for people of all ages, Adirondack Sports & Fitness reiterates standards developed by the Snell Memorial Foundation and the American National Standards Institute. A helmet is an important protective device, which, when coupled with safe and responsible participation, has the potential for greatly reducing the risk of accidental injury.

While helmets protect against injuries, law enforcement and education prevent accidents. All three elements are necessary for truly effective injury prevention.

Let's all, children and adults, make a conscious decision to wear safety helmets to protect us from this terrible tragedy. As a cyclist for the past 20 years, I have cracked two helmets in crashes ® one on the road and one in the dirt ® that have protected me from serious injury.

Thanks for listening,

Darryl

P.S. If you would like additional information here are some resources:

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute

Snell Memorial Foundation

World Health Organization Helmet Initiative