Grants Available to Help Communities Promote Bike Helmet Use in Michigan

Contact:    Cheryl McDonald (313) 225-8121
        cmcdonald3@bcbsm.com
For Immediate Release

Grants Available to Help Communities Promote Bike Helmet Use in Michigan

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network Aim to Reduce Injuries to Children

DETROIT, June 13, 2001 – Coalitions and nonprofit agencies that want to promote bike helmet safety in their communities can apply for helping grants of up to $1,000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.

Hospital emergency rooms nationwide treat more than 400,000 children annually for biking and inline-skating injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). About 300 youngsters die annually primarily from head injuries received while biking or skating, yet only about 15% of all children wear a helmet.

As scooters become more popular, related injuries are also soaring. The CPSC estimated that emergency room personnel treated more than 9,400 scooter-related injuries in the first nine months of last year. Nearly 90 percent of the injuries were to children under age 15.

"Here at the Blues, we want to help reduce these kinds of injuries by working directly with communities to promote bike, scooter and inline-skate safety," said Sonia Parks, M.D., senior associate medical director at the Blues and a strong advocate for encouraging use of safety equipment. "If these efforts help even one child from being killed or seriously injured, then this program is something that we should all support."

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will award grants of up to $1,000 to community organizations and nonprofit agencies to help them promote the use of helmets by children in their communities. The funding is earmarked to provide and ensure proper fitting of free or discounted helmets, as well as to offer safety education to parents and children.

Funding will be provided for activities scheduled now through September 15, 2001. Grant applications are available by calling 313-225-7158 or by emailing cwiener@bcbsm.com.

For information about other community activities supported by the Blues, visit www.bcbsm.com.





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