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The Helmet Update by email

Vol. 17, #2e, April 21, 1999

All issues index


McDonalds and CPSC Launch Major Helmet Campaign

In a joint announcement today, McDonald's and the Consumer Product Safety Commission launched a helmet promotion campaign including public service announcements, a new helmet website and the inclusion of bike helmet information with every Happy Meal sold at McDonald's for one week. Participating restaurants also will give away bike helmets at local events.

The press release with the announcement is up on the CPSC website.

The two sponsors also released a study of bicycle helmet usage in the U.S. with some rather startling conclusions: The study can be found at

https://www.cpsc.gov/library/helmet.html


We don't believe for a minute that half the bicycle riders in the U.S. are wearing helmets. But if the sample is not just flawed, and they are responding that way on the telephone, it must at least signal an attitude change, and perhaps an acceptance that wearing a helmet is good behavior, whether or not you do it. If a survey asked if you were wearing clean underwear, everyone would say yes, because they know that it represents good hygiene. But at least it shows that respondents want to be politically correct, and recognize what response that requires. Helmet wearing has certainly increased since 1991, but based on observation we don't think it's that high, and no community in the US has actually measured helmet wearing and reached anywhere near that level with the exception of Seattle, a special case where helmet promotion has been intense for a decade.

The new website is called Cranium Canyon. It's great. If our site seems too serious for you, this is your page! It is co-sponsored by McDonald's and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It has delightful graphics, and is the only helmet place on the web that may appeal to kids. They also have a press page with photos you can download.

CPSC and McDonalds have put together a blockbuster campaign. We hope it has lasting results.



The Helmet Update - Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
Randy Swart, Editor
4611 Seventh Street South
Arlington, VA 22204-1419 USA
(703) 486-0100 (voice)
(703) 486-0576 (fax)
www.helmets.org