By Staff
SAGINAW – Summer is a time when kids are excited to be outside on their bikes, scooters and skateboards. This also makes it an excellent time to educate kids about the importance of helmet safety. That is why the Field Neurosciences Institute (FNI), McDonald's of Michigan, and several local law enforcement officers, fire fighters and emergency response personnel will join together in a statewide partnership this summer to encourage children to wear helmets while participating in summer activities.
As part of the "Caught Being Safe" program, Michigan State Police troopers and other local law enforcement officers stop children who are "caught" wearing their helmets and give them a coupon for a free ice cream cone or Apple Dippers at McDonald's. McDonald's has provided 100,000 coupons for this year's program, which is going on now in Niles and will run throughout the summer.
According to the FNI, every year, one child in seven will receive head injuries as a result of a bicycle crash. Biking sends more kids, ages five to 14, to the emergency room than any other sport. These injuries are preventable with the use of bicycle helmets.
; according to the National Injury Prevention Foundation, helmets can prevent an estimated 75 percent of bicycle fatalities among children.
The more than 530 McDonald's restaurants in Michigan employ more than 20,000 men and women.
Field Neurosciences Institute was founded in 1988. Since its founding, the Institute has handed out more than 40,000 free safety helmets to children and its prevention programs have reached thousands. Learn more about FNI at www.fni.org.