In several provinces it's now the law for kids to wear bicycle helmets. And that's important for helping prevent brain injuries, said Balance Television guest Dr. Charles Tator.

How to fit a bike helmet
The neurosurgeon and president of the Think First Foundation emphasized the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet properly. It should fit well, with a two-finger breadth above the eyebrows and the strap done up snugly around the ears, allowing room for only one finger to slide between the strap and the chin. A helmet that falls off during an impact is a sure way of receiving a brain injury.

Baseball caps should not be warn beneath a bicycle helmet because the button on top of the cap can be impounded right into the brain on impact, Tator said.

Helmet-care tips
Stickers should not be put on helmets because the outside of the helmet is made to slide along surfaces. The stickers will prevent the helmet from sliding and dissipating the forces of the impact, he said. As for cleaning, solvents or chemicals will destroy the strength of the helmet, so wash your helmet with water only.

Tator also insists people should never buy a used helmet. "If a helmet has had an impact you have to get rid of it," he said. "The bicycle helmet is made for one impact only. So if you've had an impact throw away the helmet."

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