Not only is it Bike Month in Toronto, but Brain Injury Awareness Month. That makes the upcoming launch of the Helmets on Kids campaign especially timely.
This is the 5th annual Helmet On Kids campaign organized by Patrick Brown, an avid cyclist.
This year’s campaign kicks off at Blake Street Junior Public School at 2pm on Tuesday, June 11th. That’s when Patrick will donate helmets to 500 young cyclists. Since the campaign began four years ago, it has donated 1,500 helmets to students across Toronto.
The Helmets on Kids campaign is aimed at making this a safer summer by encouraging more young cyclists to wear helmets. We know helmets are a simple way of preventing serious brain injuries. We also know that more kids should be wearing them. Statistics show that only 13 of 51 young cyclists involved in collisions last year in Toronto were wearing a helmet.
We’re working hard to change that. Please make sure your kids are wearing helmets when out on bike riding this summer.
Happy cycling!
McLeish Orlando’s Toronto Helmets on Kids campaign is part of a province-wide Bike Helmets on Kids program started by members of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) in 2002. Since its first event, held in London, Ontario, more than 19,000 helmets have been distributed to elementary school students. All helmets are purchased with funds donated by OTLA lawyers, their firms and other community sponsors.
In 2013, OTLA Bike Helmets on Kids events have taken place throughout May and June in Ottawa, Toronto, Aurora, Halton Region (Burlington), Peel Region, Barrie, Quinte West (Belleville and Trenton), Sudbury, Windsor, Simcoe County (Midland), and Thunder Bay. These events will help distribute an estimated 4,000 bicycle helmets this year to children in cities and regions across Ontario. For more information, visit www.otla.com.
