Efforts renewed to require children to wear bicycle helmets

Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center of Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, is working with Columbus City Council to require children under age 18 to wear helmets while using bicycles, skate boards, scooters, and skates in Columbus (Source: "Experts push for laws on bicycle helmets," The Columbus Dispatch, May 24, 2008).  He advocates for such a policy at either the local or state level because bike crashes are the leading the reason for hospitalization among children under age 14.   

According the Dr. Smith, the rate of bicycle-related fatalities has fallen significantly in states that requires children to use helmets.  Senator Tom Roberts - D, Dayton - has introduced mandatory helmet legislation twice, but it is not moving.