Helping Children Remember Bicycle Helmets During Back to School

Parent giving child a bicycle helmet
Children at the Arlington Police Bicycle Safety Day in August 2021

On your mark, get set, go! Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate bicycle helmets for children at the Arlington Police Department’s Bicycle Safety Day.

For many children, back to school means back to the school bus. But more and more, many students are walking or biking to school.

Back to school is a good time to introduce children to bicycle safety and this year, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to partner with the Waltham and Arlington police departments to give helmets to children.

On Saturday, August 28th, the Waltham Police Department gave away free Project KidSafe helmets to children at the “Meet the New Chief Day.” The Arlington Police Department also gave away free helmets at Bicycle Safety Day on August 24th  at Gibbs Junior High School, where many students walk or bike each day to class.

Our Tips to Help Children Wear Bicycle Helmets Back to School This Fall in Massachusetts

A new school year means a new routine. Whether you or your child ride daily or on occasion, we urge you to commit to wearing a helmet.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing a properly fitted helmet is the “single most effective way” to reduce head injuries and fatalities resulting from bicycle crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports the majority of cyclists who ultimately die after a bike crash first sustained a head injury as their most significant injury.

Children Must Wear Bicycle Helmets Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, cyclists who are 16 and younger are required to wear helmets when riding a bicycle. Helmets should be properly fitted and meet the safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Beyond safety, there are other consequences. A police officer can actually impound your child’s bike for up to 15 days if they are caught riding without a helmet in Massachusetts, though many officers work hard to avoid this step and would rather encourage helmet use.

Waltham Police officer gives away free children's bicycle helmets donated by Boston law firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck

Waltham police officers give away free bicycle helmets at the “Meet the New Chief” event in August.

Why Parents and Adult Cyclists Should Wear Helmets. Cyclists of all ages should wear helmets to protect themselves.

As a parent, if you wear a helmet and make sure your child wears one when you ride together, your child will take notice. They are more likely to wear a helmet even when you are not there and they will have some practice at fastening their own helmet.

Label Your Child’s Helmet. Write your child’s name inside the helmet, on the strap or on the outside of the helmet.

Wear Your Helmet; Do Not Carry It In Your Backpack. Many children (and adults) ride, then put their helmets in their backpack while they are at work or school. Encourage your child to keep their helmet outside their backpack so they put it right on.

Buy a Durable Bike Lock. Purchase a durable bike lock in case your child cannot find their helmet and has to walk or get a ride home from school or a friend’s house. Keep this on their bike at all times. Insist that your child should contact you and never ride without a helmet.

Buy Your Child a Spare Bike Helmet. Purchase your child an extra bicycle helmet now before they misplace theirs. Unless you live near a bike shop, it can be difficult to step away from your routine to go purchase a bike helmet right away, especially during the busy Fall season.

At the same time, purchase a spare helmet for yourself, too. Keep your spare at home or at the office. This will come in handy if you damage your helmet, lose it or decide you want to take the Blue Bikes bikeshare home.

Free Legal Consultation – Boston Personal Injury Attorneys

With more than 100 years combined experience, Breakstone, White & Gluck has been consistently recognized as a top-rated Boston personal injury law firm. Our attorneys specialize in representing those injured by negligent driving, bicycle accidents, premises liability accidents, defective and unsafe products, construction accidents, medical malpractice and wrongful death.

If you have been injured, learn your rights. For a free legal consultation, contact Breakstone, White & Gluck at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.

Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates 100 Children’s Bicycle Helmets to the Everett Police Department

Attorney David W. White visits Everett Police to donate bicycle helmets from Breakstone, White & Gluck's Project KidSafe campaign.
Breakstone, White & Gluck makes a donation of children's bicycle helmets to the Everett Police Department

Attorney David W. White delivered 100 helmets from our Project KidSafe campaign to Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie and Sgt. Joseph Gaff.

As summer continues, more children are riding bikes and Breakstone, White & Gluck is pleased to be donating bicycle helmets through our Project KidSafe campaign. This morning, Attorney David W. White delivered 100 bike helmets to Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie and Sgt. Joseph Gaff.

This is the 6th year Breakstone, White & Gluck has made the donation through the Everett Police Department. Each year, our attorneys donate the helmets and the Everett Police Department decides how to distribute them to best reach children who need one. We are excited to see what this year holds!

Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe Campaign

Founded in 1992, Breakstone, White & Gluck represents those who have been injured by negligence across Massachusetts. Our attorneys are committed to encouraging children to wear helmets to protect against head injuries. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, we have now donated more than 33,000 helmets to children across Boston and Massachusetts.

Surprise! New Bicycle Helmets for Cyclists in Dedham Bike Maintenance Class

Girl wearing Project KidSafe bicycle helmet donated by Breakstone, White & Gluck.

Surprise! Breakstone, White & Gluck gave away free Project KidSafe helmets to cyclists who signed up for the Basic Bike Maintenance Class at the Dedham Public Library earlier this month. Quincycles led the small class outside the library while Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate the bicycle helmets as part of our Project KidSafe campaign. Breakstone, White & Gluck first teamed up with Quincycles three years ago.

Quincycles does a great job of distributing a few helmets here and a few there to cyclists who attend its community classes, most of which are held in Quincy.

Girl wearing Project KidSafe bicycle helmet donated by Breakstone, White & Gluck. Women wearing Project KidSafe bicycle helmets at Basic Bike Maintenance Class at Dedham Public Library. Cyclist wearing Project KidSafe bicycle helmet donated by Breakstone, White & Gluck at the Basic Bike Maintenance Class at Dedham Public Library.

About Breakstone, White & Gluck and Our Project KidSafe Campaign

The attorneys of Breakstone, White & Gluck launched our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013 and have now given away more than 30,000 bicycle helmets in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Everett and across Massachusetts. We invite you to follow our 2021 donations at www.facebook.com/bwglaw.

 

Breakstone, White & Gluck and Everett Police Make Donations for Bike Safety

Everett Police giving away free bicycle helmets to local children from Breakstone, White & Gluck's Project KidSafe campaign

Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign recently supported the Everett Police Department’s work to protect children on bikes. In June, our lawyers donated roughly 100 bicycle helmets to Everett Police Chief Steve Mazzie and his officers. Attorney David W. White was there to deliver the helmets.

This is the fifth year we have partnered with Everett Police so we know their commitment to children and bike safety runs deep. But we were really inspired this year. Officers wasted no time. They began distributing the bicycle helmets right away and found many children who could benefit from our donation. Great job to Everett Police again!

About Breakstone, White & Gluck

At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our Boston personal injury lawyers specialize in representing those injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of others. Our attorneys are advocates for safe cycling and encourage all cyclists to wear bicycle helmets to protect against head injuries. To promote safe riding, Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated 30,000 bicycle helmets across Massachusetts through our Project KidSafe campaign.

Breakstone, White & Gluck has also been recognized as a Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists.

Buying Your Child a New Bike, Scooter or Snowboard This Holiday? Don’t Forget the Safety Helmet

Child receiving a new bicycle and new bicycle helmet.

Give the gift of safety. Always give a helmets to go with new bicycles, scooters and other riding toys.

It is a lot of fun to select a new bicycle or scooter for a child during the holiday season. But when you buy, remember to pick up a new helmet, too. This is a critical tool in protecting against head injuries and under Massachusetts law, children 16 and younger are required to wear helmets on bicycles, scooters, skateboards and inline skates.

Massachusetts Bicycle Helmet Law: Children 16 and younger are required to wear bicycle helmets when they ride bikes in Massachusetts, under M.G.L. c. 85, § 11B.

Massachusetts Scooter Helmet Law. M.G.L. c. 85, § 11B1/2 states children 16 and younger must also wear safety helmets on scooters, skateboards and inline skates, as well as other manually-propelled wheeled vehicles.


Helmet Buying Tips: Spotlight on Bike Helmets

Buy a bicycle helmet which meets the safety standards set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (16 C.F.R. part 1203). This standard is specifically designed to protect a child’s head with shock-absorbent material in bicycle accidents or falls. It requires chin traps be strong enough to keep the helmet in position on the head. 

Buy a helmet separately from your bike. You may find it helpful to buy a helmet separately. To get started, measure around your child’s head with a cloth tape measure. Measure just above your child’s eyebrows. Start looking now online or visit your local bicycle shop.

Stick to traditional bike helmets. The CPSC discourages parents from buying helmets with decorative and costume pieces, such as horns or parts which protrude from the helmet. These will interfere with the helmet’s ability to protect a child’s head should they ever hit the ground.

How long has your child been wearing that helmet? If your child has been wearing a helmet for three years, this is a good time to buy a new one. But depending on your child’s growth and wear and tear, you may want to replace it sooner. Carefully inspect the helmet on the inside and outside.

Buy an adjustable helmet. Because children grow fast, we suggest an adjustable helmet which can be tightened or loosened in the back.


Helmets Designed for Other Activities

Safety helmets are designed for certain purposes. Each sport and activity involves a different impact.

But bicycle helmets can often be used for recreational in-line skating, roller skating or manual kick scooters, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) helmet guidelines. Check these guidelines whenever you buy a helmet.

Talk to your child’s sports coach about helmet guidelines for football, hockey, lacrosse and baseball. 

Get your helmets ready for the winter. Helmets are recommended for skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding and snow tubing. Many skiers say helmets interfere with their peripheral vision and response time. If this is your thought, consider reading this New York Times blog on just how much protection they can provide.

Before we close, another point is there are times when children should definitely NOT WEAR HELMETS, including at the playground or when playing at home. Helmets and straps can get caught and strangle a child on staircases and step ladders. 

CPSC Guide – “What Helmet for Which Activity”
Helmets are essential to protecting your child. Here is the CPSC’s Guide, “Which Helmet for Which Activity.” This guide provides you with recommended safety standard guidelines for different activities, so it’s definitely worth bookmarking. Another helpful site is the CSPC recalls website, which you can search for product recalls before you make a purchase.

About Breakstone, White & Gluck

Boston Personal Injury Lawyers – Toy Safety Lawyers

At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our lawyers are consistently recognized for their awards for clients in personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability cases. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, we work to promote bicycle safety and the well-being of children in Massachusetts. To date, we have donated over 25,000 bicycle helmets to children across the state.

If you are shopping for a child, we invite you to read more of our holiday toy safety series.

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Thank You From Boston Police Commissioner William Gross

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross thanks Attorney Marc L. Breakstone for our recent donation of 160 children’s bicycle helmets. This was the 4th year that Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign have partnered with the Boston Police Department to help protect children from head injuries.

“I would just like to thank you sir. What a great donation to the communities of Boston. You know oftentimes, people think that when someone has made it, they are affluential and doing well, that you don’t care, especially about the inner city, about people in the inner city. You’re helping me break negative stereotypical views by showing people that you do care. None of this stuff is hand me downs. These are expensive bike helmets. You are showing that you do care and that no matter what, good people are good people and are willing to give back. So you are making a difference…”


To learn more about Breakstone, White & Gluck, visit our website.

Dedham Times Features Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Bike Helmet Donation for Kids

Boston personal injury lawyers bicycle helmet donation campaign

Breakstone, White & Gluck of Boston was recently mentioned in a Dedham Times article about the Dedham Bike Rodeo in August. Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign participated for the seventh year and donated more than 100 helmets to the kids. Breakstone, White & Gluck is committed to helping children ride safely on bikes and protect against head injuries. Founded in 1992, our firm specializes in personal injury and medical malpractice cases across Massachusetts.

Article courtesy of The Dedham Times. Click link for full 2-page article.

Breakstone, White & Gluck Supports Mattapan on Wheels 2019

Breakstone, White & Gluck was proud to support the Mattapan on Wheels event this weekend. We only wish the temperature had been more forgiving for cyclists riding for such a good cause. This ride is a terrific cause in our book!

The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition organizes Mattapan on Wheels each year to encourage physical activity, as well as safe cycling on Mattapan streets and the Lower Neponset River Trail. Many Mattapan children take their first ride at this event and receive their first bicycle helmet from Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign. Our law firm donates 100 bicycle helmets each year to encourage safety. More experienced cyclists help children and others fit the helmets and get them ready to ride.

This event gives cyclists access to other key safety resources too. Boston police officers and community volunteers come out to lead the ride and follow in back. There are all skill levels here and cyclists can choose their ride and challenge themselves with a new route each year. Other community groups are on hand to do ABC checks – air, brakes and chain. Then, the ride usually wraps up and everyone heads over to the Annual Scoops and Hoops event nearby.

The event is the group’s primary fundraiser. More than 50 cyclists still turned out this weekend, despite the heat and raised over $3,200 for bike-related activities. But this is roughly a third of the typical participation and Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition is still collecting donations. You can learn more from the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition’s website. The website is under construction, but you can find the contact information and social media sites at the bottom of the page.

Photo credits: Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Facebook page.

 

About Breakstone, White & Gluck

The Boston personal injury lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck have over 100 years combined experience fighting for the rights of those who have been injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of others in Massachusetts. Our attorneys have won numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements have been recognized on the Top 100 New England Super Lawyers and Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyers lists. We founded our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013 to encourage children to wear helmets every time they ride to prevent head injuries in bicycle accidents.

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one due to someone’s negligence, learn your legal rights. For a free legal consultation, contact us at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.

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Breakstone, White & Gluck and Quincy Police Give Away 100 Free Bicycle Helmets to Students at Merrymount School

Quincy Police officers visited Merrymount School last week, speaking to children about bicycle safety in the city, and making the critical commitment to wear a bicycle helmet every time they ride. Quincy police officers talked to students at all grade levels, then gave away 100 bicycle helmets donated by Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign.

We are pleased to make this donation just in time for summer. This is the third year Breakstone, White & Gluck has partnered with the Quincy Police Department to encourage children and families to wear bicycle helmets to protect against head injuries. Breakstone, White & Gluck founded our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013, with a goal of helping children ride safely. Our attorneys have since given away more than 25,000 bicycle helmets to help children in the Boston area and across Massachusetts.

Photos are courtesy of the Quincy Police Department.

Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bike Helmets for Little League Opening Day in Watertown

Watertown Little League Bike Helmet Giveaway. Helmets donated by Breakstone, White & Gluck.

As part of our Project KidSafe campaign, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate bicycle helmets in Watertown over the weekend. The Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee set up outside the Little League fields and reached out to children and parents, answering safety questions and fitting free helmets for children who needed one.  Committee members gave away roughly 70 of our Project KidSafe helmets.

This is the fifth year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated bicycle helmets in partnership with the Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee. Over the years, Breakstone, White & Gluck has given more than 500 Project KidSafe bicycle helmets to children in the Watertown community.

(Photo credit: Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee Facebook)

Breakstone, White & Gluck launched its Project KidSafe campaign in 2013, with a goal of keeping children safe on bikes in Massachusetts. We have since donated over 25,000 bicycle helmets to children in partnership with local bicycle committees, police departments, schools and other community organizations. Bicycle committees are a key part of our campaign, helping children and families select and fit helmets at fun and casual gatherings alongside friends and neighbors.

About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which represents individuals who have been injured by the negligence and wrongdoing of others in Massachusetts. With more than 100 years combined experience, our lawyers are recognized throughout Massachusetts and New England for their work representing those injured. We are committed to supporting bicycle safety, supporting MassBike, Boston Bicyclists Union and other Boston-area bicycle clubs.

To learn more, visit Breakstone, White & Gluck’s website or our Project KidSafe campaign.

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