The Nation - News from May 15, 1989

Federal safety standards for bicycle helmets could help reduce the 1,000 deaths and half-million serious injuries each year in accidents, a private safety group said. Members of the National Safe Kids Campaign said they would present a petition today to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set minimum safety standards for both adult- and child-size helmets. Bicycle accidents send 500,000 people to hospital emergency rooms annually and cause head injuries to about 116,000 children. Studies show that most could have been prevented or made less severe with a helmet, campaign officials said.