URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/riorancho/opinion/336538westoped04-09-05.htm
Saturday, April 9, 2005All content copyright © ABQJournal.com and Albuquerque Journal and may not be republished without permission. Requests for permission to republish, or to copy and distribute must be obtained at the the Albuquerque Publishing Co. Library, 505-823-3492.
Safety Helmets Can Save Lives
.
EDITORIAL: A Corrales cycling club not only spread an important message this past week, it gave youngsters the means to carry it out.
The Corrales Cycling Club gave away nearly 600 bright red helmets to area elementary children, an impressive goodwill gesture that also taught the youngsters the importance of safety.
As club president Elena Kayak pointed out, many residents think a helmet is unnecessary because Corrales is rural and has dirt roads. Unfortunately, brain injuries can occur anywhere, regardless of the surface. A helmet lessens the risk of these debilitating injuries.
Kudos, too, to the Corrales Fire Department for helping the cycling club give away the helmets— measuring heads to make sure they fit properly— and to students who, because they already had a helmet, donated their new ones to the fire and police departments. These will be passed out to young people who might be cycling around the village with heads exposed.