Before you think you won’t need a helmet today, have a word with yourself.

(TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2012) – Whoever says that wearing helmets isn’t cool has it all wrong. Saving your brain from serious injury is always in style. That’s the thinking behind an innovative, new campaign called Have A Word With Yourself that will be implemented in 10 Canadian high schools across Canada this year. Created by Preventable (www.preventable.ca) and Parachute (www.parachutecanada.org), the campaign aims to promote a lifesaving tool – a helmet – and increase its use in skiing, snowboarding, cycling, mountain biking, and skateboarding.

What’s this all about?

  • Fewer than 50% of Canadians who participate in sports such as in-line skating, cycling, snow sports and skateboarding say that they always wear a helmet
  • There is a 35% reduction in head injury risk with helmet use while skiing and snowboarding
  • Cyclists without helmets are three times more likely to die of head injuries than those wearing helmets
  • Youth 12-19 years old are the least likely to consistently wear a bike helmet

From Nov. 6-8, students from the 10 selected schools will be organizing creative and fun, “flash mobs” at their schools to draw attention to helmet use. Throughout the rest of the school year, students will host Have A Word With Yourself days/weeks that will raise further awareness within the school community. Students will also be promoting and participating in the “Mess Your Hair, Not your Head” national photo contest, where students can win cash prizes for submitting pictures of their helmet hair.

We are inviting the media to speak with student representatives about the campaign and to come see the flash mobs in action. The date of the flash mob in a community near you is:

Nov. 9, 2012 at Hammarskjold High School
80 Clarkson Street South, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4W8

Media interested in attending a flash mob and/or interviewing student representatives must RSVP their attendance to Shenieka Russell-Metcalf at 647-776-5106.

About Preventable

Preventable is a community of diverse organizations focused on raising awareness, transforming attitudes, and preventable injuries. Preventable’s goal is simple: to significantly reduce both the number and severity of preventable in Canada. For more information, visit www.preventable.ca.

About Parachute

Parachute is a national, charitable organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. Parachute officially came into being in July 2012 and unites the former organizations of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada into one leader in injury prevention. For more information, visit www.parachutecanada.org.

For more information:

Almira Bardai, Jive Communications, for Preventable. almira@jivecommunications.ca 604-561-7516

Alex Kelly, Youth Programs Coordinator, for Parachute
akelly@parachutecanada.org 647-776-5121

Valerie Smith, Youth Programs Manager, for Parachute
vsmith@parachutecanada.org 647-776-5116

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