Bicycle Safety
Cranium Crusaders
is a bicycle safety education program that teaches elementary school
students in Delaware County about proper helmet fit and the rules of
the road. The program is designed for the second grade level. The
goal of Cranium Crusaders is to keep children safe when they
are bicycling, rollerblading, skateboarding, or riding a scooter. 
According to the
Safe Kids USA, 134 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related
crashes in 2001 and nearly 288,900 were treated in hospital emergency
rooms for bicycle-related injuries in 2002.
How many Delaware
County children reportedly “always” wear a helmet when riding their
bicycles?
In the 2007
Community Health Status Assessment, 53% of Delaware County children
reported not always wearing a helmet when riding their bicycles.
By educating children, teachers, and parents, we can
help reduce unnecessary injuries and help our children safe!
Volunteers from the Delaware City Fire Department help fit helmets
at Schultz Elementary School in Delaware.
Remember
– a helmet is the single most effective safety device available to
reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes.
Child Passenger
Safety
A
study by
Safe Kids Worldwide
showed that while 96 percent of parents believe they install and use
their child safety seats correctly, nearly 73 percent of child safety
seats are misused in at least one way critical enough to compromise
their
effectiveness.
Over
the past five years, the Delaware General Health District found more
than 90 percent of all child safety seats checked to be installed
incorrectly. The most common critical misuses are loose harness
straps securing the child to the child safety seat and loose seat
belts securing the child safety seat to the vehicle.
Child safety seat
checkup events help reduce the likelihood of injury or death by
educating parents and caregivers on how to properly restrain their
children in an age-appropriate child safety seat.
Schedule an
appointment
here.
The
Delaware General Health District offers free car seat checks to all
Delaware County residents at checkup events throughout the county each
month. Certified child passenger safety technicians check car seats
for proper installation. The car seat checks include checking seats
for defects, damage, and product recalls.
Safety
Town
Safety
Town is a week long safety program held each summer for children who
will be enrolled in Kindergarten in the fall.
Safety Town is sponsored by coalition partners
including the Delaware City Police Department and the Delaware General
Health District.
Safety Town teaches children about many safety issues
they will face during their school days, including: school bus safety,
bicycle safety, home safety, car safety, and fire safety.
For more information on Safety Town
contact
Officer Rita Mendel, Delaware City Police Community Liaison
Officer.
