Service NL
May 6, 2015

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Service NL:

Province Recognizes Safe Kids Week

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to recognize May 4 to 10 as Safe Kids Week. This is a national campaign that takes place annually to raise awareness about preventable childhood injuries. Each year, Parachute Canada, a national charity, coordinates Safe Kids Week activities with safety-focused advocacy groups throughout the country. I am pleased to note that this morning I joined Len LeRiche from Safety Services NL and students at St. Matthew's school for an official proclamation.

As the theme this year is "Cycling and Road Safety," Mr. LeRiche and I took the opportunity to talk about the new bicycle helmet law that our government brought into force on April 1 of this year. We reminded students that bike helmets are now mandatory on all public roadways in the province. Students were also shown how to check if a helmet fits properly, which is important, because a properly fitted bicycle helmet can decrease the risk of serious head injury by as much as 85 per cent. In addition, students learned about the importance of checking their bicycle to ensure it is in good working order, knowing the rules of the road, being familiar with the route being travelled, and wearing reflective clothing.

Mr. Speaker, preventable injuries have a significant impact on children throughout the country every year, which is why our government is committed to protecting children and families through education and enforcement initiatives. We support Parachute Canada's message, "Safe Cycling. Safe Roads. Save Kids Lives." Requiring everyone to wear bike helmets is a great example of how we are doing that. Another example is our ongoing collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and advocacy groups like Safety Services NL, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association, all of which provided valuable feedback that informed our new helmet legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as the school year is winding down and the summer season is set to begin soon, I encourage children and parents throughout the province to reflect on Safe Kids Week, and think about what they must do to cycle safely this year. I also encourage everyone to respect the new bike helmet law, and to find out more about it by visiting the Service NL website.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

2015 05 06                              2:15 p.m.