Skaters, cyclists forsaking helmets | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Wairarapa skaters and cyclists are choosing not to wear helmets that could save them from serious head injuries, a senior hospital nurse said yesterday.

Whangarei teenager Codie Higgison, 19, was killed on Saturday while skating downhill on his younger sister's new skateboard, and his father is pleading for skaters nationwide to wear head protection.

Higgison had crashed and flew through the air, striking the back of his head on the footpath.

But emergency clinical nurse manager Vicki Hookham said yesterday Wairarapa skateboarders are choosing not to wear helmets because they are "not cool" and young children are also suffering head injuries falling from bicycles in the supposed safety of their driveway.

Ms Hookham said most skateboard accidents involve wrists or ankles and head injuries are uncommon.

"You're very unlucky if you land the wrong way."

She said head injuries are rare from "normal skateboarding".

"Normally they happen when someone's on a halfpipe, and they fall off the edge; it's like anything when there is speed and height any sport involving speed.

"On some of those ramps you run the risk of running over the edge and falling on to concrete."

Ms Hookham said helmets either prevented or greatly lessened the seriousness of head injuries.

"In my 14 years in emergency work I've never seen significant, lasting head injuries when someone has been wearing a helmet, but unfortunately it's not cool to wear a helmet, and until they make them cool &"

Ms Hookham said children are becoming much better at wearing helmets while cycling on the road, but unfortunately the road is not the only place accidents happen.

"Unfortunately a lot of children still ride bikes in driveways; we still see a lot of moderate head injuries there.

"It doesn't matter where you are if your head's hitting concrete, the damage is the same."

Records from Wairarapa Emergency Department show 45 admissions listed as involving skateboards from July 2006 to September this year.

Seven are recorded as involving the head or face: one head injury, three head lacerations, one facial and teeth, one lip laceration and one chin graze.

There were 20 injuries involving the arm, elbow, wrist or hand, four affecting the leg or knee, 10 the ankle or foot, three the shoulder, one the hip, and two the left buttock.