This year marks 15 years of Burn Tucker Lachaîne’s participation in the Helmets for Kids program.

The Helmets for Kids program was started as a joint project of The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) and the Brain Injury Association of London and Region. This program is intended to put a helmet on the head of every child who needs one and provides education and awareness about bicycle safety and helmet use. Since its inception, OTLA members across the province give generously to organize community partnerships and fund the cost of the bike helmets.

Over the years, we managed to raise a total of $81,935.00 which equals 6,194 helmets handed out to youth in Ottawa. We are proud to work on this project with the following partners: Citizens for Safe Cycling, Plan-it-Safe (CHEO), Parachute, Brain Injury Association of the Ottawa Valley, Vista Centre, Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Safety Council, Safe Communities Ottawa and Public Health of the City of Ottawa.

As personal injury lawyers, we understand the negative impact of not wearing proper safety gear while engaging in recreational activities. Although it is the law that children under the age of 18 years old must wear a helmet while engaging in recreational activities such as cycling, wearing a helmet is highly recommended, if not crucial, for people of all ages.

To protect your head in bicycle accidents, it’s important that the helmet fit properly. Here are some helmet fit tips:

• The helmet should cover the top of the forehead and should rest about two fingers’ width above the eyebrows
• The side straps should fit snugly around your ears in a “V” shape
• The buckles on the side strap should fit right under the ear
• Buckle the chin strap and tighten it until you can fit only one finger between the strap and your chin
• Check the helmet fit every time you wear your helmet

If a bike helmet has been dropped or was involved in an accident, it should be replaced, even if there is no visible damage.

On June 22, 2023, together with members of the Bergeron Clifford firm, we attended a local elementary school in Ottawa where we had the opportunity to speak to students about the importance of wearing a helmet before summer break. This year, we handed out a total of 492 helmets to students at local elementary schools, the City of Ottawa youth programs, and Cornwall Police.