8/6/2019 Hard-Headed Ordinance Tries to Keep Kids Safe |
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Tuesday, May. 17 by Laura Peters | 5 comments | Email this
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Wearing a helmet may not seem fashionable or cool to kids, but
not wearing one could lead tosevere injury.
According to Renee Brohard, spokesperson for Inova Loudoun
Hospital, there were 357pediatric patients with head injuries seen
in the emergency department since January in theInova Loudoun
Emergency Department. None of the patients were admitted to the
hospital and
only four were transferred elsewhere. Those numbers include all
types of head injuries, some of which may occur in situations not
appropriate for helmet use, according to Brohard.
Jill McCabe, MD, assistant director of the Pediatric Emergency
Department at Inova andchairman of the Department of Pediatrics,
petitioned the Loudoun County Board of Supervisorsfor a helmet law,
which passed in 2007.
The law requires children younger than 15 to wear a helmet while
riding a bicycle or motorizedscooter. The law doesnt require a
child to wear a helmet while riding on a skateboard.
I frequently tell kids in the ER that we can fix their broken
bones, but it is much harder to treat brain injuries, McCabe said.
Their brain needs to last them another 80 to 90 years and they must
protect it.
Children not wearing a helmet will receive a citation and their
parents will have to pay a $25fine. If the children provide a
helmet to the officer who cites them, the citation and fine can be
waived.
I do not believe it is enforced, McCabe said. I find it useful
to cite [the law] to childrenpresenting to the Emergency Department
with head injuries from bicycle accidents who were not wearing
helmets. Most kids and families are surprised to hear there is a
law.
According to Loudoun County Sheriffs Office spokesman Kraig
Troxell, the law is more of anordinance and used as an educational
tool.
Basically, our stance is we use it as education above
enforcement, Troxell said. Prior to theordinances creation, for the
most part, we go up and explain the safety issues. Now there is
anordinance to it.
Troxell said there are very few cases where there isnt
compliance with the ordinance and thecitations are often only given
out if the juvenile is a multiple offender in not wearing a
helmet.
In terms of enforcing the law, its a combination of the public
and deputies.
Sometimes youll get calls from concerned neighbors or the
deputies that run across them,Troxell said.
With the recent tragedy of Shashwat Sharma, the 16-year-old
Ashburn youth who died after askateboarding accident, Troxell says
this is the chance for parents to talk to their children aboutthe
importance of wearing a helmet.
If we can take anything from this tragedy, its the opportunity
for parents to explain thedangers of riding a bike or skateboard
without a helmet, Troxell said.
Comments
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Hard-headed ordinance tries to keep kids safe
8/6/2019 Hard-Headed Ordinance Tries to Keep Kids Safe |
LoudounTimes
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Thu, May 19 at 01:27 PM by West Ender :
While I certainly dont want children dying over not wearing
helmets, Im alsofirmly in the camp that says its not the
governments job to protect us fromourselves.
The law is useful and well-intentioned, but unnecessary. Any
parents who careabout this issue enough to have their children wear
helmets would do so withoutthe law being in place. And, obviously,
any parents who dont, wont.
Wearing helmets should be neither required nor enforced by our
government.
Most of us posting here on the boards grew up without wearing
them, and weveturned out OK.
Thu, May 19 at 08:52 AM by My 2 Cents :
It does make good sense, but so does not driving drunk or using
cellphone/texting while driving, yet so many people still do it.
Also, isnt VA one of the states that doesnt require a helmet when
riding a motorcycle(perhaps its been changed)? ATV and trampolines
are dangerous too. Not in favor of havingpolice ride through
neighborhoods giving out citations.
Wed, May 18 at 07:57 PM by Patricia Turner :
Perhaps the bicycle shops in Loudoun should have copies of the
ordinance to
provide to parents when they buy a bike for their child. This
would increaseawareness. Also helpful would be a flier explaining
the importance of helmet use,citing statistics and comments from
physicians such as those in the article.
Wed, May 18 at 11:11 AM by Tom :
Great, all we need is the police scaring young children and
giving them fines fortheir parents to pay.(My guess as to why it
isnt really enforced.)
Wed, May 18 at 07:18 AM by sms :
After moving here a couple of years ago, I was surprised and so
was my six yearold at the time as he kept pointing out that some of
our neighbors werent wearing helmets. I searched on line to see if
there was an ordinance requiringchildren to wear helmets and it was
not easy to find so I called the Sheriffsoffice. I had to be
transferred through to a few people before I could get ananswer. I
was then told yes, there is an ordinance, but they feel most kids
in ourarea wear helmets and they really dont enforce this law.
Whether it is a law or not it makes good sense for children and
adults to wearhelmets. Children also learn to practice safety and
make good decisions by example. Therefore, parents that ride bikes
with their children should also wearhelmets.
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