Don't Forget The Helmet

Don't Forget The Helmet

by Lauren S. Fassler

Publication Date: March 1996

Only sissies wear helmets. Wrong! Just ask a doctor or adventuresome, outdoors enthusiats in Kentuckiana serious about mountain biking, rock climbing and caving.

"Always wear a helmet," said Leta Weedman, the chairperson of the Louisville chapter of the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association. "I do."

"Helmets absorb the impact of a collision, distributing the force to protect the head from injury," said Lori Rust-Killeen, an emergency department physician with Kosair Children's Hospital.

"My son was in a bike accident when he was nine years old," Rust-Killeen said. "If he wasn't wearing a helmet, he would have been killed. The helmet was cracked with blood inside, but my son suffered minimal to no injury."

"Bike helmets today may seem like just expensive styrofoam, but it contains a heavy graded plastic approved by the National Safety Institute which acts as a buffer between the head and sources of danger," Rust-Killeen said.

"When shopping for a helmet, look for a seal of approval from ANSI and SNELL, two reputable testing agencies," said Chad Schmidt who works for Schwinn Bicycles and Fitness on Sears Avenue. His store sells helmets ranging from $25 to $140.

"A more expensive helmet has a better cage and better ventilation," Schmidt said. "As the price goes up, the helmets become lighter, more aerodynamic and more stylish."

"Bike riders are not the only ones who need helmets. In-line skaters, who reach fast speeds and do fancy tricks, need them too," said R.L. Meeks who works at the Allied Sporting Goods on Shelbyville Road. "In-line skating helmets have more padding and have the pads located in different places than bike helmets."

"Cavers who frequently bump their heads on the ceilings of small passageways benefit constantly from helmets," said Wendy Wente, the president of the Indiana University Spelunking Club. "The club does not permit people to go on caving trips who refuse to wear helmets."

"Although they sometimes get in the way, rock climbers should wear helmets, especially beginners," said Susan Hammon, a Louisville rock climber who is a manager as the Sexton Insulation Company. "There's always the chance someone on top could kick a rock off or throw a Coke can down. The person climbing above could kick you in the head or you could smack your head on the rock."