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Global car manufacturer Volvo has given its backing for bicycle helmets for children, and has released its own helmet with Swedish firm POC.
Volvo Cars Netherlands teamed up with the Dutch traffic safety association Veilig Verkeer Nederland to draw attention to the importance of wearing a cycle helmet, and also to plug the new Volvo S60’s pedestrian safety detection system – a feature that automatically stops the car if a driver doesn’t react when approaching a pedestrian.
In a press statement the firm drew attention to statistics that show 35 children under 12 years of age die as a result of bicycle accidents in the Netherlands every year. Nearly 700 children in the territory are admitted to hospital every year following bicycle accidents.
Volvo Cars Nederland and Swedish brand POC’s newly designed helmet – the For Life – was developed for children from when they start riding cycles until the age of ten.
Coming in a highly visible bright orange, the helmet design gave consideration to accidents caused by third parties. According to Volvo this represents a significant breakthrough in current thinking in the sector as many third party accidents are usually linked with high speeds and extreme impact situations.
"Safety is in Volvo’s DNA," said Volvo Cars Nederland marketing director Huib de Vries. "And this year, Volvo Cars is becoming involved in various partnerships that promote safety for children in traffic situations. One of these is the official partnership with Veilig Verkeer Nederland, and another is the cooperation with the Swedish brand POC.”
Volvo Nederlands launched the helmet with the help of Dr William Kramer – an advocate of helmets being made compulsory for children in primary and secondary school.
Cycle helmets recently hit the headlines when Jersey legislated to force children to wear helmets on the island.
Calls for making helmets compulsory for any age group has been the source of no little debate in the cycle trade. A recent DfT report made no call for helmet legislation and the CTC has vocally argued against making helmet wearing compulsory, while some organisations – notably the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Association – have advocated legislation to make helmet wearing law.
