Why law enforcement says you should add a bike helmet to your school supply list

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Do you have a bicycle helmet on your school supply list? If not, doctors and law enforcement agencies are hoping to change your mind.

They said a properly fitted bike helmet can prevent serious injury if a child takes a spill off their bicycle.

"I tell people all the time, we can fix your arm, we can fix your leg. But your head is harder to fix," said Thomas Lacy, division chief at Nemours Primary and Urgent Care.

He said head injuries can cause life-long issues, including brain damage.

Law enforcement said parents of children spotted riding without helmets can also be cited with a $62 ticket.

First-time violators can buy a helmet, and show the receipt to the courts for the ticket to be dismissed.

In 2018, Florida Highway Patrol worked 76 crashes involving children under the age of 16 in Orange County alone. That's a 21 percent jump from 2017.

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FHP investigators said Pope was not wearing a helmet at the time.

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