Summertime safety

Local agencies are promoting safe recreation ahead of summertime.

Among medical professionals, the season is associated with a notable rise in trauma cases, said Snohomish County Safe Kids Coalition coordinator Shawneri Guzman. Each spring, she works with local partners to educate families on the importance of using protection while on bikes, scooters and skateboards, and how to travel safely on foot.

To help spread the message, the coalition partnered with Snohomish County Fire District 7, the Monroe School District and local organizations to outfit almost 100 students at Frank Wagner Elementary with the proper gear. Guzman said the annual event also helps solidify community connections and identify those who could benefit from further education.

Guzman said the national numbers illustrate the need. She pointed out the “Ready for the Ride: Keeping Kids Safe on Wheels” report from Safe Kids Worldwide and Nationwide’s Make Safe Happen program.

The results reveal “alarming news about the risks kids take when riding bikes, scooters, skates and skateboards,” according to a fire district news release. “Nearly 40 percent of the 1,600 parents surveyed admitted their child doesn’t always wear a helmet while riding, even though more than 426,000 children — nearly 50 every hour — visited an emergency department in 2015 due to a wheeled sports-related injury.”

Guzman said there are a few misconceptions about specific sports, such as the use of scooters, which may contribute to those statistics. For example, people believe because they are closer to the ground, the rider is at less risk.

“They are also harder for cars to see,” she said. “Just the way that they use scooters is different. When they are jumping off curbs and doing tricks. If you are paying attention to that, you aren’t paying attention to traffic.”

Perceptions can also be affected by what laws are in place, Guzman said. In Washington, it is not illegal to ride a bicycle without a helmet. Understanding about the kinds of injuries that can occur while playing wheeled sports continues to grow, which can start to change those attitudes over time, she said.

Heather Chadwick, fire district public information officer, said outreach is important for all age groups. Parents in particular are asked to engage in safety education, she said. The Safe Kids study showed 57 percent of parents were not likely to enforce helmet use on a scooter.

“You know, kids are going to follow what their parents do,” she said. “They can also help us with wearing their helmets.”

Chadwick said the information presented at last week’s event was new to many of the younger students, but many of the older kids were already familiar. Wearing bright clothes and following safe walking routes also goes along with preparing for spending more time outside once the weather gets warmer, she said.

Snohomish County Safe Kids partners with local fire districts to provide inexpensive custom-fit helmets to children in need all year. A $10 donation is suggested, but if families can’t afford the cost, the agency will also be flexible to their needs.