Sgt. Tyson Richmond of the BG Police Division visited Crim Elementary School Thursday to distribute bike helmets to third and fourth graders.
The head gear was provided through the city’s Bike Commission, which secured a Put a Lid on It grant from the American Academy of Pediatricians.
Crim Principal Zeb Kellough said distributing the helmets makes sense since some students get bikes as part of the Santa program. “One of the big things on the list when we help out families is make sure kids have a bike,” he said.
Some bicycles come with helmets, he said, but some don’t.
Third graders throughout the district already received helmets.
When Steve Langendorfer of the commission said more helmets were available, school officialsdecided to offer them to fourth and fifth graders.
“Most of them are very active out there on the streets and sidewalks riding bikes, and scooters and stuff,” Kellough said.
Richmond said it’s not enough to just hand out the helmets. The head gear needs to fit correctly.
“Most people don’t wear bike helmets correctly. They’re usually too big, or they don’t have them. fastened down tight enough,” Richmond said. “If you’re in a crash. The initial impact is going to knock your helmet off.”
So he added he added padding to the helmets to make sure they fit firmly on the youngster’s head.
Richmond said they had about 100 helmets to give out. Police will hold on to any not distributed through school events, and give them to young bike riders they encounter not wearing helmets.
— David Dupont, BG Independent News
