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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate recognize
3bicycling as a positive, important activity for children under
4the age of 16, for the purposes of transportation, exercise,
5recreation, and general physical and mental well-being; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Five of every six middle school students and more
7than two of every three high school students report riding
8bicycles within the past year; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Significant numbers of children are injured while
10riding bicycles, in many instances with injuries that could
11have been prevented or reduced in seriousness if the young
12bicycle riders were wearing bicycle helmets; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Nationally, only 20% to 25% of all bicyclists wear
14bicycle helmets, despite the fact that nearly 70% of all fatal
15bicycle crashes involve head injuries; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injuries
17by up to 88% and reduce the risk of facial injuries by 65%;
18thousands of head and facial injuries suffered by Illinois
19children would be prevented every year if every child wore a
20bicycle helmet; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, 500,000 bicycle-related injuries are treated in
2U.S. hospital emergency rooms every year, with over half the
3injured being children and nearly half those injuries involving
4the head or neck region; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The annual cost of bicycle-related injuries and
6deaths in the United States is $8 billion; every dollar spent
7on a bicycle helmet saves our society $30 in indirect medical
8costs; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Numerous Illinois retailers, community groups,
10and hospital programs currently make bicycle helmets available
11to children at low or no cost; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Numerous groups advocate for bicycle helmet usage
13by children, including the American Academy of Pediatrics
14(Illinois Chapter), the Brain Injury Association of Illinois,
15the Chicago Medical Legal Partnership for Children, the
16Children's Memorial Hospital, the Cook County Department of
17Public Health, Health and Disability Advocates, Helmets
18First!, the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, the Illinois
19Association of School Nurses, the Illinois Chapter of the
20Emergency Nurses Association, the Illinois Hospital
21Association, the Illinois State Medical Society, the Illinois
22Maternal and Child Health Coalition, the Loyola University
23Medical Center, the Quad Cities Bicycle Club, the

 

 

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1Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, SafeKids Illinois, the
2Chicago Shriners Hospital for Children, the Macon County and
3Winnebago County Shriners Hospitals for Children, the
4Stakeholders Collaboration to Improve Student Health, Think
5First National Injury Prevention (7 Illinois Chapters), and the
6University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Educating children as to the benefit of wearing
8bicycle helmets while cycling will contribute to their safety
9and well-being; numerous agencies and associations, including
10the office of the Illinois Secretary of State, the Illinois
11Department of Public Health, local health and law enforcement
12departments, schools, medical professionals, advocates for
13children, cycling groups, and retail sellers of bicycles, could
14provide a great service to Illinois children by expanding,
15commencing, or collaborating on activities designed to convey
16this message of great public value; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Governor
19and the Illinois Secretary of State to convene a task force or
20working group, composed of representatives of the
21aforementioned or like-minded groups, to explore, discuss, and
22coordinate efforts to conduct a public awareness campaign to
23educate the general public about the value of cycling to
24children, along with the safety benefits of children wearing

 

 

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1bicycle helmets; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That we urge Illinois schools, under the
3direction of the State Board of Education, to participate in
4the development of activities and programs that would encourage
5child bicycle riders to wear bicycle helmets; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
7delivered to Governor Pat Quinn and Secretary of State Jesse
8White.