• "You could be paralyzed, killed, or you could suffer damage."
  
• "You could bust your head open on the sidewalk or a rock."
  
• "You could go into a coma."
  
• "You could break your neck or crack your head.
  
• "You could have serious brain damage and you might have to learn all you know over again."
  

• Wearing a bike helmet is the single most important thing you can do to protect your brain - and your like - when you ride your bike.
  
• Children between ages 5 and 14 have the highest rate of injury of all bicycle riders.
  
• Each year, more than 500,000 children go to hospital emergency rooms or doctors' offices due to bicycle injuries.
  
• More than half of these collisions happen on neighborhood streets, sidewalks, or playgrounds.
  

• "I wear a helmet because I had an accident and I was wearing a helmet and my head felt fine."
  
• "Because it looks cool and it keeps my head safe."
  
• "Because I don't want to hurt my head like my cousin (who almost died in a bike accident)."
  
• "I wear my helmet most of the time because there is law about helmets."
  
• "I wear my helmet all the time because 1) my parents make me and 2) I don't want to get any head injuries."
  
• "You should always wear them because they keep you and your brain safe."
  
  

Always or most of the time .................... 43%
Occasionally ........................................ 11%
Seldom or never .................................. 44%
No answer ........................................... 2%

• "You could make a commercial with a famous person wearing a helmet and kids could use them as role modes."
  
• "Put baseball, football and race driver numbers and names on helmets.
  
• "Show pros wearing helmets and being cool."
  
• "Put extra padding inside of it to make it more comfortable."
  
• "Put little compartments on the helmets"
  
• "Make helmets for girls with ponytails."
  
• "You could have a bike-a-thon to encourage kids to wear helmets."
  
• "If you wear one, you get a free pizza.
  
• "Tell them it's the law and if they don't they will have to eat spinach."
  
• "Have kids who wouldn't wear helmets and got in serious collisions go and talk to other kids who won't wear helmets."
  
• "Tell them to watch the hazards on the news of kids who don't wear a helmet."
  

• Always wear your bike helmet - and make sure your brothers and sisters do, too.
  
• Make a deal with your best friend to always wear your helmets when you ride together.
  
• Talk to your parents or teachers to help organize projects with your school, safety patrol, Scout troop, religious organization, or other group that will encourage kids to wear bike helmets.
• Ask local businesses to sell bikes only with bike helmets or set up bike-helmet giveaway or discount-coupon programs.
  

To all the kids who completed the bike helmet surveys at Oakhurst Elementary School in Largo, FL; St Anne's in Seattle, WA; Fillmore Elementary School in Oklahoma City, OK; Holy Trinity in Ligonier, PA; Monessen Elementary Center in Monessen, PA; Smith Elementary School in Akron, OH; North Elementary School in Lancaster, OH; Holy Name School in Omaha, NE; Collet Part Elementary School in Albuquerque, NM; and Signal Hill Elementary School in Huntington, NY.

To the following AAA Clubs: Akron Auto Club, Fairfield County Auto Club, Auto Club of New York, Auto Club South, AAA Washington, AAA Nebraska, AAA New Mexico, AAA Oklahoma, and AAA West Penn/West Virginia.