'Don't Use Your Brains for Brakes' - Helmet Safety Video Script

Hi, my name's Alex, and in the next few minutes we're going see how using your brains for brakes, just doesn't make any sense. Wearing a protective lid like this (tapping the top of his helmet) means you'll stand a much better chance if your head hits the ground.

Head injuries are bad news. And do you know that more than a hundred young people die every year from head injuries? They happened while they were participating in activities like skateboarding, cycling, in-line skating, skiing and snowboarding, it doesn't matter. Besides those that lose their lives, thousands more are badly hurt - many with permanent disabilities.

Look at this head x-ray. It's a good view of a skull that surrounds YOUR brain - you know that place where all the action is, the control centre for everything you do. The brain is made of soft matter, like Jell-O, that sloshes around inside YOUR head. It needs protection. And unfortunately, the skull can only give us YOU much.

DR. ROBERT CUSHMAN: In fact, we don't have the hard heads that we think we do. If you think about the skull, and you look at it, it's only about as thick as a pencil. And so you can do a lot of damage very quickly if you were to have a fall off a bicycle, or if you were to run into a tree or to an automobile, even at low speeds.

SNOWBOARDER: You never know. A fall can happen any time. My brother's best friend went off a jump, fell back, hit his head, didn't have a helmet on and my brother got down to him, and he didn't know the date, didn't know his birthday, he was messed up, and he was in the hospital for a couple of weeks.

Sure there are risks of getting hurt, but by wearing the right protection (he shows his pads, wrist guards and taps his helmet) you've got a lot less chance of getting hurt. And if you do get hurt your injuries will likely be less severe.

There's so much fun you can have being active! You'll have a great time and feel good … whether you get involved in organized sports, or take part in activities like cycling, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding or even skateboarding. Look around. You we have so many choices today.

No matter what activity we choose, we have to be sure to reduce the risks by wearing the right gear and playing safely , especially when it comes to protecting your brain.Protecting our heads has never looked so good. And it sure makes sense. And the best way of doing that is by simply wearing a bicycle helmet. Not only is it a good idea, it's the law. Hey, if you want to keep doing the stuff you love, don't get injured.

DR JANET NUTH: All the things that you take for granted like running in the playground, riding your bike, going skiing, all the fun things you like to do, get taken away from you. You won't be able to do all that, if you have any sort of head injury. Even if you're really good, you still need to wear a helmet. Head injuries can be prevented no matter what sport you're doing, by wearing a helmet.

Today, you'll find lots of different types of helmets … designed for different sports, head sizes and budgets.
JUST Be sure to get a helmet that is designed for the sport you'll be doing. Just talk to the sales staff and describe what your activity will be.

Take a look around and you'll see some awesome helmets… They look great and the vents keep your head cool, all while protecting your brain. Some even have visors to keep the sun out of your eyes.

When you are looking to buy a helmet, spend as much time to get the right fit as you would if you were buying a new pair of shoes. Just like there's no point in wearing shoes that don't fit well, there's not much point in using a helmet that doesn't fit properly. Get a helmet that fits your head size. Leaving room to grow just doesn't make ANY sense… if it's too big it won't protect you properly. To get some more guidance, find a knowledgeable sales person who can help you select a helmet that fits and show you how to wear it correctly.

Make sure that the helmet you choose has a certification sticker on it. This sticker means that the helmet has been tested and approved by an organization such as the Canadian Standards Association. It's good to know the type of helmet you've chosen has passed lots of tests.

SALES PERSON : To adjust how it sits on the head, you need to do the two finger salute, like this. See the two fingers, right there, that's how it should fit.Now can you take your hand and see if you can fit two fingers. That's good right? And that's really a perfect fit.

Some helmets, such as bicycle helmets, are made to protect your head from a single impact. This means that if your helmet has been in a crash, or has hit the ground, it should be replaced. Even though you can't see it, the helmet may be damaged and will no longer provide you with proper protection. Multi-impact helmets, like hockey helmets, on the other hand, are designed to withstand more than one impact. JUST Remember, that helmets can wear out over time, just like shoes, so even if you don't fall with you helmet on, it should be replaced a least every 5 years.

Helmets work best when they are worn directly against your head. So it's not a good idea to wear a ball cap or toque underneath them, even if you think it looks cool. You'll find that helmets for winter sports are designed to keep your head and ears warm and give it protection.

Earlier we talked about how your brain is like Jell-O, inside a shell, called the skull. (tapping the watermelon) Now, if you think about it, that's not all that different from a melon. Imagine this is your head and you're riding along when you hit a rock. Where are you going to go? You got it… over the handlebars!

You don't have time to react; It only takes a one meter fall to injure your brain permanently.

Be sure to wear knee and elbow pads, wrist guards and a helmet, of course. Listen to this story from a boy who's glad he always wore a helmet…

BOY : Well I was biking back from eating with friends and I caught the edge of a bike path and I fell into a big hole with different sizes of rocks on the bottom. I was wearing my helmet that day and it saved my life because it took half of the impact that probably would have crushed my head. And I was in the hospital for two weeks. If you think not wearing a helmet is cool, you're wrong, because it can save your life. Wear a helmet.

Don't let an injury put you on the sidelines. With a helmet on your head, you can feel good because you're protected. Be active, stay healthy and have fun. You've got a lot of living to do. And remember: don't use your brains for brakes!