The campaign ‘Stay pretty. Wear a helmet’ encouraged young skateboarders to wear helmets and safety gear to protect themselves from serious injury while skateboarding.
Skateboard riders are at far greater risk of suffering a serious injury than any other recreational riders such as those who wear in-line skates or rollerskates or those who use non-motorised foot scooters.
Statistics from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit also show that 80 per cent of all wheeled-recreational-device user injuries are caused to male skateboarders.
Of all skateboard injuries 37 per cent are fractures and 26 per cent are sprains or strains. Most deaths from wheeled recreational devices are caused by trauma to the head.
The campaign endeavoured to educate parents on the safety benefits of their children wearing a helmet when skateboarding as this greatly reduces the risk of serious head injury.
More information on the ‘Stay pretty. Wear a helmet.’ public education campaign go to http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Safety-campaigns/Skateboard-road-safety.aspx