Sep 11, 2008 8:51 pm US/Pacific
No Helmet? Mass. Town Police Will Take Your Bike
HOLLISTON, Mass. (CBS) ―
As Holliston, Mass. Middle School let out, CBS station WBZ-TV in Boston saw 100 percent compliance with the state law requiring kids 16 and under to wear a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard or anything else with wheels that is manually propelled.
Many towns have incentives to get kids to wear helmets.
"We've tried all that. We've given out gift certificates for ice cream, for slices of pizza. We've got free helmets at the station," explained Holliston Police School Resource Officer Dave Gatchell.
But in a few cases, Gatchell said, that's not working.
So his department now says a violation may lead to confiscation of a bike for up to 15 days, which the law allows.
"I think they were thinking for the safety of the people. They were doing it just for the safety," seventh-grader Devin Wells said.
"How about you? Are you wearing yours?" we asked.
"I've been trying to wear it more often now," Devin replied.
Devin's mom and a number of other parents say the policy may be too severe, but police say they mean business.
"If we have to take a bike or two to get the message out there and it gets it across for the kids to wear their helmets, that's what we'll do; but all we're looking to do is make the kids safer while they're riding their bicycles," Gatchell said.
"I think it's a very good idea," parent Laurie Kidd said as she stood among kids - all wearing helmets - outside an ice cream shop in the Hollis Plaza. "My son was injured on his bike several years ago and he split his chin open. At the hospital, they asked if he had his helmet on, and he said yes. They said they saw so many kids with head trauma."
The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute says two-thirds of the bicycle deaths in the United States were caused by traumatic brain injuries -- injuries that could have been prevented in most cases by wearing a helmet.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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