KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, King County Executive Ron Sims, Public Health - Seattle & King County, and community partners came together for a "Ticket to Safety" event to stress bike helmet education and enforcement, given the expanded bike helmet regulations for Seattle and King County.

King County Executive Ron Sims urges residents to enjoy local bike trails and always wear bike helmets

"King County is home to extensive bike trails, many avid bicyclists and bicycle clubs, and numerous recreational cyclists like myself," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Let's enjoy this great activity to the fullest, and this means always wearing a helmet."

In King County from 1997 to 2001, over 850 people required hospitalization for bicycle-related crashes, and an additional 24 people died. Head injuries account for 60% of bicycle-related deaths.

"Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by as much as 85% and brain injuries by as much as 88%," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Enjoy the benefits of better health by getting out and riding your bike, and make sure you wear a helmet every time."

Law enforcement throughout King County including Seattle has been trained on the benefits of bike helmet use and the law requiring bike riders of all ages to wear helmets. From now through approximately June 15, Seattle Police and other law enforcement will begin issuing warnings to riders not wearing helmets. Starting mid-June riders could be cited for not wearing helmets.

"Only about 60% of children and 30% of teens in King County are wearing bike helmets. For such a progressive community as ours, these numbers are cause for concern," said Tony Gomez, Manager of Violence and Injury Prevention at Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Education, adult role modeling, laws, lower cost helmets, and positive reinforcement all play a part in making kids more likely to wear helmets."

The King County Bicycle Helmet Regulation, revised and unanimously adopted by the King County Board of Health in July 2003, mandates that all bicycle riders in King County wear a fastened, safety-approved helmet. This revised regulation expands the already existing law into the City of Seattle.

Board of Health Chair Carolyn Edmonds, a supporter of health promotion and injury prevention

"Helmet legislation has been shown to increase helmet use in other parts of the country, and we are very proud that King County is the first county in the state of Washington with a bike helmet law," said King County Board of Health Chair Carolyn Edmonds. "We have children running around our communities in $100 shoes to protect their feet yet biking, blading and boarding without helmets to protect their heads," said Chuck Ayers, Executive Director of Cascade Bicycle Club. "With the widespread availability of reduced price helmets, there is no reason we shouldn't have a helmet on every one of them. If you hear from your kids that helmets aren't cool, just think about how uncool brain damage is."

May 15 is the kick-off of a new collaborative effort between Cascade Bicycle Club and Seattle Parks and Recreation to make helmets affordable and accessible.

For more information on where to purchase low-cost bike helmets throughout King County, visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/injury/helmets.htm

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