Michigan/Cool Cat Bicycle Helmet Program

Cool Cat Bicycle Helmet Program

MICHIGAN

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS		PROGRAM AREA(S)
	Innovative or nontraditional approach		Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
	Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population

TYPE OF JURISDICTION
	State

TARGETED POPULATION(S)		JURISDICTION SIZE
	Preschoolers		9,496,147
	Parents

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Injuries resulting from bicycle crashes are a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality in Michigan. In 1995, 46.4 percent of those killed and the majority of those injured in bicycle crashes in the state were under the age of 16. Head injury was involved in a high percentage of these bicycle crashes, and was the cause of many bicycle fatalities. Studies indicate that bicycle helmets are 85 to 88 percent effective in preventing head and brain injury in a crash. Educational intervention in early childhood has been proven to positively influence the health and behaviors of young children. As a result, bicycle helmet programs are increasing in popularity in Michigan.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Cool Cat Bicycle Helmet Program was developed in 1996 to increase the use and knowledge of bicycle helmets in young children and their parents through the development of a training program targeting preschoolers. The program also hoped to increase local community involvement in bicycle helmet promotions. Program objectives included:

Purchase and disseminate preschool Cool Cat materials to 20-40 community agencies, providing technical assistance in program operation
Produce bicycle helmet curriculum guidelines to assist agencies in presenting the Cool Cat program

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Cool Cat Bicycle Helmet program used a character-based curriculum to educate preschool children on how to properly use a bicycle helmet. "Cool Cat the Brain Defender" performed a skit and song to convey the safety message to students. Each student, while wearing a bicycle helmet, had their picture taken with Cool Cat. A brain board presentation described how helmets protect the brain during a crash.

Teachers also distributed a bicycle helmet curriculum guide, coloring books and stickers to each student.

RESULTS
The Michigan Department of Community Health presented the Cool Cat Bicycle Helmet program to more than 4,000 preschoolers in 1996 throughout the state. Through the program, over 4,000 coloring books and stickers and 1,000 bicycle helmets have been distributed to participating students. In addition, more than 10,000 parent bicycle helmet brochures have been provided to a variety of community agencies, for dissemination to program parents. The Cool Cat program is now presented throughout Michigan to reach more young children and their parents.

FUNDING
	Section 402:	$31,910
CONTACT
	Sue Guggemos Office of Highway Safety Planning 4000 Collins Road P.O. Box 30633 Lansing, MI 48909-8133 (517) 333-5320

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Spring 1997