Ride2Win.ca Launched to Encourage Correct Helmet Use - Kids, Prizes!

At a special event held at Winnipeg's Heritage School, IMPACT, the injury prevention program of the Winnipeg Health Region, officially launched Ride2Win.ca, a new, interactive website, promoting increased use of bicycle helmets.

Endorsed by Winnipeg born Olympic speed skating and cycling phenomenon Clara Hughes, Ride2Win.ca includes a wealth of information about the correct fitting and use of bike helmets. A quiz gives Winnipeg kids the opportunity to win a new bike and helmet for themselves and a parent while learning more about helmet use and safety. An additional prize is available for effective classroom promotion of bike helmet safety.

"With an average of two children treated for bicycle injuries every day during summer months, an increased focus on helmets makes good sense," says IMPACT Program Director Shawn Feely. "Ride2Win.ca provides children and teachers with fun and informative online resources that stress the increased use of bike helmets as an effective way of reducing injuries. The main learning objective for the campaign is proper helmet fit using the 2-V-1 rule: 2 fingers between the helmet and your eyebrows, straps form a V over your ears, and 1 finger between the strap and your chin."

The event at Heritage School also served as the launch of a provincial government low-cost helmet program, now in its fifth year. This year, over 630 schools and early learning child-care centres ordered over 10,000 helmets through the program. Since it began, Manitoba has provided over 62,000 helmets to children and just over 5,000 of these being free helmets that have gone to children from low-income families.