Helmets: Protect Your Head From Injury

 

Helmets are in!  Head protection is the driving force behind making helmets a mandatory sports accessory.  We are pretty good about making our kid’s wear them but have not been as good about practicing what we preach ourselves.  Many adults have resisted the idea of head protection because they feel that helmets are ugly and uncomfortable.

 

Samantha Critchell wrote an article for the Herald (Tuesday, March 2, 2010) about a new look in helmets.  The trend today is for safety and health, so manufacturers have been busy making and marketing state of the art head gear for many of your favorite sports.  The high profile accident involving Natasha Richardson has raised public awareness and hopefully more people are going to sit up listen.

 

I love the feel of the wind in my hair and really hate wearing a helmet when I bike, skate or ski, but down deep I know this isn’t the sensible attitude to take.  Improved styling and comfort will win me over in the long run because I know how important it is to protect my head.  Do you think I can find something in a pretty pastel?

 

Modern helmets are much more comfortable.  They are warm, and padded, and some have even been wired for cell phone and iPod connections.  What more could you want?  A helmet should be as much a part of your gear as the rest of your equipment. Some sports have helmets designed especially for that particular activity, but wearing any kind of head protection is better than nothing at all.

 

Whether you wear a helmet because it makes you feel safe or because you have learned the hard way, it is time to spread the word.  The key is being willing to wear it.  No matter how advanced your helmet is it won’t do you any good if you don’t wear it.  It is time for helmets to become the norm, and not just because it has become the law in many communities.

 

Wear your helmet but don’t be cocky.  Just because you are wearing a helmet doesn’t mean that you should tempt fate.  A helmet doesn’t mean you should peddle faster, ski recklessly or do anything else in an unsafe manor.  Hot dogging is not for everyone.  The helmet improves safety up to a point, but you still need to use your head for something besides a decoration.

 

Comments

[Liesel Basil]

Well, sometimes it's difficult to be cocky with a helmet on. Perhaps that attitude applies more to those who choose not to wear them, and so expose themselves to danger. Sadly, sometimes our attitude can really get in the way of our safety.

[Tracy Pierre]

Hmm, yeah. The helmet should be there to remind you that you're only human, and that you need protection against accidents. We only have one life to live, so it's integral to keep ourselves safe and secure.