Stewart’s Shops is proud to partner with the Safe Summer Bike Helmet program for the 22nd year! The 2019 Safe Summer Program kicked off on July 9th and was founded by Senator Jim Tedisco. Stewart’s Shops donated 2500 cone certificates and served ice cream to all the kids at the YMCA summer camp for this special day.
Tedisco’s program uses positive reinforcement to get all neighborhood kids into the habit of wearing their helmets for safe biking and promotes positive interactions between children and law enforcement. The Safe Summer Program will distribute 5,000 “good tickets” for free ice cream cones to 23 police departments to reward children who wear their helmets while bicycling, skateboarding, and rollerblading, and give free bike helmets to kids who need one.
“Summer is the season for kids to have fun but we can’t ever forget that they need to keep safety in mind. I want children to enjoy the summer but I also want them to be safe when they’re riding their bicycles. My Safe Summer program reminds kids to wear their helmets while rewarding good behavior with coupons for free ice cream,” said Senator Tedisco. “This program is a true community partnership among businesses, law enforcement, government and parents and it’s truly a model for how caring people can come together and promote a fun and safe environment for children. Safe Summer also provides positive interactions between law enforcement and kids.”
It’s the law in New York State that children up to age 14 must wear a bicycle helmet or parents could face $50 fine. According to the New York State Department of Health, an average of 54 New Yorkers are killed each year in bicycle crashes and 19,000 residents are treated at a hospital due to bike-related injuries. Head injuries are the leading cause of death and permanent disability in bicycle crashes, accounting for more than 60 percent of bike-related deaths. The cost of a bicycle helmet is approximately $20.00. The average charge for a hospital stay due to a bicycle related brain injury is $23,000 with an average length of stay of four days. In New York, annual hospitalization charges related to care for persons with a bicycle related brain injury is $20 million.
Stewart’s Shops looks forward to Senator Tedisco’s Safe Summer Program each year; there’s no better way to kick-off summer than with ice cream! We are proud to partner with local law enforcement to reward kids all over the Capital Region for wearing their helmets while biking.
At Stewart’s Shops, We Are Closer to You