By Tim A. Rutherford
Coastal Parent

Tim A. Rutherford photo
Rafael SantaMaria, of Quality Bike Shop in Savannah, shows off a selections of kid's helmets depicting themes young cyclists find fun and attractive. Quality Bike and Bicycle Link will be represented at Pedal Power.

If you go Pedal Power, a free bike safety program sponsored by Safe Kids of Savannah Coalition. Each child participating will receive a free helmet, bike safety course and bike inspection. May 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dillard's parking lot, Savannah Mall How to participate: Bring your young cyclists, their bikes and enthusiasm! For more information, call (912) 353-3148 For a summary of Georgia bicycling laws: www.serve.com/bike/ georgia/galaw.html National Safe Kids Coalition www.safekids.org The site also links to state and local Safe Kids programs. Safe Kids of Savannah Coalition is made up of public and private health officials, law enforcement representatives and other child safety advocates in the Chatham County area. It is affiliated with Safe Kids of Georgia and the National Safe Kids Campaign. Coastal Bicycle Touring Club www.cbtc.org

Would you send your son or daughter into the batter's box at their little league game without a batting helmet?

Or, would you send them into a soccer match without shin guards?

Do you allow you children to ride their bicycles without a helmet?

Most parents would answer a resounding "no" to the first two questions, but would, according to safety statistics, be unable to answer "no" regarding the use of bike helmets.

The Safe Kids Coalition of Savannah hopes to begin making strides toward resolving that question - and improving the safety of our children - during a Pedal Power bike safety event planned for mid-May.

But, According to Jane Garrison, coordinator of Safe Kids of Savannah, Pedal Power is about far more than advocating helmet usage.

"Children and their parents participate in a 'classroom' activity about bike safety rules, children are fitted for bike helmet, the bikes are inspected and repaired if necessary and the children participate in a road skills course," Garrison explained.

Helmets have been proven to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent - as well as offering substantial protection to the forehead and mid-face.

Those statistics, provided by the National Safe Kids Campaign, become even more attention getting when combined with NSK data from 2002 that indicated nearly 289,000 children under age 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bike related injuries. Among those, 47 percent were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury.

But helmet effectiveness drops dramatically when worn improperly or fitted incorrectly. That is an important aspect of Pedal Power: to teach kids how to properly wear their helmets and instruct parents on how to properly fit helmets.

Georgia law required cyclists under age 16 to wear a helmet - but there is no regulating or enforcement provision for the law.

But as important as wearing a properly fitting helmet is to children, it is just one aspect of bike safety, Significant other numbers of children under age 14 were injured or killed, according to the NSK report, due to their own behavior - like failure to stop at stop signs, swerving into traffic or riding against the traffic.

In Savannah, that's an almost cultural phenomenon that Garrison and the Safe Kids Coalition are trying to reverse.

"For years and years, children were taught in schools here to ride against the traffic," Garrison explained. "That message was passed from one generation to another - and today it's a prevalent and dangerous practice."

In fact, riding on the right side of the road - with traffic - is the prescribed safest method of bicyclists to ride. And, In Georgia, it's the law.

Georgia Code Section 40-6-294 says, in part, "Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable..."

Participants in Pedal Power will also learn bike handling skills and have their bikes checked over by qualifed bike mechanics.

Staffed by of Safe Kids of Savannah Coalition members, Pedal Power volunteers will also include members of the Coastal Bicycle Touring Club. With nearly 125 members, CBTC cyclists bring years of experienced road riding knowledge to participants in the event. Many have logged thousands of miles a year on their bikes - and several are veteran riders with many cross-state rides to the ir credit.

One of those is Sharon Ventura, president of the CBTC.

"As a club, we feel its is important to educate the next generation of cyclists," Ventura said. "Good bike handling skills, proper safety equipment and a properly fitting bike makes a youngster's first expereince with a bike a good one - and we hope that fosters a life-long love of cycling."