Advocates from Intermountain Health Child Safety Urge Helmet Safety for the New School Year

With school starting across the country, bicycles, scooters, and e-bikes use will also be increasing. This is also at the time that first responders have seen an alarming rise in the number of crashes and fatalities involving these modes of transportations for children and adults.

The Intermountain West also has the fourth-highest traumatic brain injury hospitalization rate in the country for children. Some of these injuries could be prevented by wearing a helmet.

Child trauma incidents historically rise in the summer months, and peak in July.

“I have personally seen the profound impact of the head injuries that can occur in our children here from bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and more,” said Taryn Bragg, MD, pediatric neurosurgeon with Intermountain Health in Las Vegas. “Traumatic brain injuries can be devastating for kids and their families with lifelong aftereffects. Helmets, and proper-fitting ones at that, are vital to our safety for our children, as well as adults.”

Dr. Bragg is the only full-time, board-certified pediatric neurosurgeon in the entire state of Nevada. She sees the effects that head injuries have on families on a near-daily basis.

Parents can check the fit of their child’s helmet by making sure of the following:

• The helmet fits snugly and sits level on the child’s head.
• The helmet fits two finger widths above the child’s eyebrow
• The side strap V-shape fits just under the child’s ears.
• One adult’s finger can fit between the child’s chin and the strap.

“Helmets are not a one size fits all situation,” said Will Rucker, Nevada Community Health director. “As parents, and as a community, we need to be sure that our vulnerable children are protected as much as possible. Make sure those helmets fit and are being worn properly.”

Safe Kids of Clark County have been working diligently with communities to get the word out on bike helmet safety.

“Parents should take the time to ride or walk the route to school with their children, to make sure that they are always following the rules of the road. Also, remember the helmet is the most important piece of equipment that the child must have,” said Jeanne Marsala, MSN, RN, Executive Director Clark County Safe Kids.

Officials in Nevada have been working to help curb the injuries and fatalities over recent years. New e-scooter ordinances that began May 21, 2025, detailing several new restrictions including a speed limit of 15 mph and limits on riding in park areas, and riders under age 18 must wear a helmet.

“Please, slow down in school zones, obey crossing guards, and stay alert for children biking and walking to school,” said Commissioner Michael Naft. “It is a responsibility of drivers to acknowledge and share the road with all road users. By remaining mindful and considerate of all modes of transportation in school zones, we can ensure a great start to the school year.”

Intermountain Health is committed to strengthening collaborations with local organizations, state and local officials, and community advocates working to prevent and decrease injuries for children. This commitment is part of the Intermountain Community Health Needs Assessment.

The bike safety event was held at Amplus Academy and the school participated with several students’ showing proper helmet safety while riding a bike course. Amplus Academy is next to the site where Nevada’s first comprehensive stand-alone children’s hospital will be built to meet growing regional children’s health needs. It will include specialty-based care, such as oncology and cardiovascular services, and others that patients have had to travel out-of-state to receive this care.

The new children’s hospital, projected to be completed by 2030, is an historic initiative that represents one of the most significant and exciting opportunities to elevate children’s health in Nevada. Philanthropy and community partnerships are critical to make this vision a reality, and campaign planning is underway.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, over 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://news.intermountainhealth.org/.