Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute

Study Guide for Bicycle Helmets 101

Summary: CanBike's Helmets 101 is a great three minute video. Here are some ideas for a classroom dialogue following the video.

First, the video: Bike Helmets 101: A Basic Users Guide to Brain Safety

The only helmet safety video we have ever seen that is not boring. It was done by three Manitoba organizations, and features fast cuttings, quirky humor and good information in three minutes. It seems suitable for a wide range of age groups. Short, so it is best used to get a discussion going on specifics of helmet and bike safety. You can access it on YouTube, or we can send you a copy on DVD. Note that the video is for non-profit use only.

Then, some questions to use to get things rolling

• Did you like the video? What did you think of the way it was done?
  
  
• What did you take away from it? What did you learn?
  
  
• How much of you does a normal bike helmet protect? What does it not protect?
  Nose, teeth, chin, body below neck. Are those things important to you?
  
  
• So is it better to crash with a helmet or not to crash at all?
  
  
• Do you have time to put a helmet on before you crash?
  It's kind of like your seatbelt in a car, isn't it? You wear it all the time because there is no time to buckle up when you see a crash coming.
  
  
• What about the dude who crashes and slides on the pavement? Do you think he has attitude? What makes you think that?
  
  
• What were some of the hazards the video mentioned?
  Car doors, gravel on pavement, dogs. Can you name some more? Pavement cracks, drivers using cell phones, wet pavement, snow or ice, turning cars, cars coming out of driveways, bad brakes on your bike . . . How much control do you have over those?
  
  
• What were some of the different helmet styles they showed?
  Downhill, BMX, mountain bike, road and racing helmets.
  
  
• Did the guy in the helmets look like a dork to you? Did the helmet make a difference, or did you think he was just cool all the time?
  
  
• What did you learn about fitting a helmet? What was the 2V1 rule?
  (2 fingers max over eyebrow, strap V meets just under ear, 1 finger max fits under strap.) Hints: Shake head, hold two fingers above eyebrows, make a V with fingers just below ears, put arm straight out with one finger pointing as if below a helmet strap and wiggle it, open mouth wide--helmet should still be comfortable.
  
  
• How were they taking care of their helmet?
  Did that arm reach out of a closet? Cool, dry place. Away from heat (and flames!), clean off "any grossness" with mild soap and water.
  
  
• How long will a helmet last?
  Video: three to five years. How about if you crash in it?
  It's toast! You have to buy a new one. (Some foam will be crushed by the impact, and you can't see the damage.)
  
  
• What do they mean "there are no accidents, only crashes?"
  Accidents are random, can't be predicted, can't be prevented and don't keep happening over and over. Bike crashes are predictable, come from taking risks and not being careful when you ride, so they are not really accidents, and we call them crashes. Was the crash shown in the video really an "accident?" Couldn't it have been prevented?
  
  
• Where was the video made? Do you think they had fun making it?
  

Here is a .pdf version of this page for printing out, and a Word version for customizing. And here is our page on the video.