Salt Lake City, Utah, USA., May 27, 2023 – Last year 15 cyclists lost their lives in accidents and 49 experienced serious injuries in the state of Utah alone. That is the deadliest year for bicycle accidents since the Utah Department of Public Safety started keeping track.
With school ending and summer activities beginning,Intermountain Health’s safety prevention and trauma teams are reminding bicycle riders of the importance of wearing a helmet and staying safe when riding.
“Kids and adults can be seriously injured, sometimes fatally, if they fall while riding,” said D Millar, MD, Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital trauma medical director and surgeon. “A traumatic brain injury can be life altering and unfortunately, we don’t get to choose how severe of an injury an individual might sustain. The brain is not like a broken bone that we can fix, so we strongly advocate for preventing head injuries.”
Bicycle related incidents historically rise during the summer months – peaking in July. Some of these traumatic injuries could be prevented by wearing a helmet.
“It’s important that every rider have a good fitting helmet and parents should help their child put it on before every ride, every time,” said Michelle Jamison, community health programs manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “And we’re not talking just when you’re bicycling. Helmets are important when riding scooters dirt bikes, ATVs, roller blades, skateboards, hoverboards, tricycles, and even balance bikes to help protect those heads.”
On Saturday, May 20, trauma caregivers from Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Intermountain American Fork, and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital will set-up at four locations along the Murdock Canal trail in Utah County, conducting helmet fittings, supplying safety information, and conducting safety demonstrations.
Helmet Safety, which is part of the Hold on to Dear Life injury prevention program, expands on Intermountain’s commitment to keep children and families healthy in their communities, and is part of the Primary Promise Healthy Kids initiative.
About Intermountain
Intermountain Healthcare is a team of nearly 60,000 caregivers who serve the healthcare needs of people across the Intermountain West, primarily in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Kansas. They are an integrated, non-profit health system based in Salt Lake City, with clinics, a medical group, affiliate networks, hospitals, homecare, telehealth, health insurance plans, and other services, along with wholly owned subsidiaries including SelectHealth, Saltzer Health, Castell, Tellica, and Classic Air Medical.
