The Changing Gears Youth Traffic Safety Committee is teaming up with the Hanna and area RCMP to launch a positive ticketing campaign this summer.
In an effort to promote the use of helmets and encourage safe behaviour, RCMP and Starland County employees will be handing out positive tickets to children and youth caught wearing their helmets while biking or doing other wheeled sports.
This safety initiative uses positive reinforcement as a means to reinforce the importance of helmet safety and brain injury prevention.
Children and youth in Hanna, Delia, Morrin and surrounding areas seen wearing a helmet while participating in a wheeled sport activity will be given a positive ticket by an officer.
The ticket includes a Subway restaurant gift card for the youth or child for practicing safe, responsible behaviour. The rewards have been donated in part by Conoco Phillips and through an Alberta Traffic Safety Fund grant. The reward makes the program appealing to children and youth and encourages them to get “caught” wearing their helmet.
The Changing Gears Youth Traffic Safety Committee is comprised of Project REACH, Town of Hanna FCSS, Starland County FCSS, Alberta Health Services, Hanna Learning Centre, and Regional Traffic Safety Consultant working in partnership with Hanna RCMP.
According to data from the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research, in Alberta in 2008 there were 6,801 bicycle-related emergency room visits (males 10 – 14 years old had the highest overall number of emergency room visits). Wearing a properly fitted helmet helps protect the head by absorbing the force from a fall, decreasing the risk of a serious head or brain injury by as much as 85 percent (Safe Kids Canada).
For more information, please contact Diana at 403-772-3793 or Misty at 403-854-3642 ext. 6148. For more information about helmet safety, please visit www.safekidscanada.ca .
