THUNDER BAY -- Wearing a helmet may not be cool in some student circles, but they do save lives.
That’s the message a group of Hammarskjold High School students were trying to impress on their peers on Friday, riding a make-shift go-kart through the Clarkson Street institute’s hallways before gathering in the cafeteria to further spread their message.
Peter Marinis, a 15-year-old Grade 11 Hammarskjold student said the campaign message, Have a Word with Yourself, is important for people of all ages, especially teens.
“It’s really good to stress the message to wear the gear,” he said.
The key is for students to realize on their own what could go wrong if they don’t wear a helmet while biking, skateboarding or taking part in other potentially dangerous activities.
“In some cases they are listening because we try to drive the message as much as we can,” Peter said. “You’re going to get some people who don’t care, but as long as they do this, we get some people (listening).”
According to numbers provided by organizing groups Preventable and Parachute, fewer than 50 per cent of Canadians who take part in in-line skating, cycling and snow sports say they always wear a helmet.
Having one on while cycling or snowboarding reduces head injury risk by 35 per cent and cyclists without a helmet are three times more likely to die than those who take the time to strap one on.
Parachute’s Barry King said the numbers are shocking.
“Out of all the injuries that people die from under the age of 44 in Canada, 50 per cent of them are from injuries. Not from cancer. Only 18 per cent are from cancer and eight per cent from heart disease,” King said.
“So what we’re trying to do is get more awareness.”
During the rest of the school year students at 10 selected schools, including Hammarskjold, will organize fun flash mobs at their school to raise awareness for the have a word with yourself campaign and taking part in the Mess Your Hair, Not Your Head national photo contest.
