JUNE 19 2011 Page 9 ST thesundaymail.com.au 9 NEWS Looking forward to safer kids’ ride Jackie Sinnerton Up front: Sylvia Vincenc and Charlie, 3, lead the way in using the new child seat. Picture: Glenn Hampson SYLVIA Vincenc of South- port and her three-year-old daughter, Charlie, are fans of the front rider seat. But they are in the minority. Despite it being the safest way to carry children on a bike, Queensland parents have been slow to warm to the handlebar child seat. ‘‘Only one in every hun- dred customers seek out the front-positioned seat,’’ said Paul Bowden, the manager at Lifecycle bike shop on Petrie Tce, Brisbane. ‘‘They tend to be attracted to the ones fitted behind the rider. I think there is the perception they (front seats) may not be so safe.’’ But Kidsafe Queensland chief Susan Teerds said rid- ing in the front position meant not only would child- ren have a more stable ride but it was more stimulating. ‘‘An adult can talk to them and give them guidance as to how to behave on the journey,’’ she said. The front carrier was al- ready a hit in Europe, es- pecially Holland, and Ms Teerds expected Australia would soon catch on. ‘‘It has taken a while for the seats to go through the vigorous safety procedures in Australia. But they have Australian Standards ap- proval. If they have the Australian Standards sticker, (they’re the best option) pro- viding all the safety measures are in place.’’ Children’s legs must be secured, a five-point harness must hold them in, and the chair and helmet must have been expertly fitted. Also the adult rider’s legs need to have free movement. Ms Vincenc said the front seat felt more stable and was more stimulating for Charlie. ‘‘The other good thing is when they’re smaller, they can use the little tray/rest to have a nap,’’ she said. Stack hat here to stay Kelmeny Fraser Consumer affairs QUEENSLAND’S tough bicycle hel- met laws are here to stay after a report found any relaxation could increase head injury rates by 50 per cent. The Sunday Mail can reveal the State Government secretly commissioned a $34,000 study into potentially scrap- ping compulsory helmet laws ahead of the roll-out of Brisbane’s controversial CityCycle scheme and the release of a report questioning the effectiveness of helmets in preventing injury. The confidential study by Queens- land University of Technology’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety examined whether cyc- lists off-road or in 40km/h speed zones should be allowed to ride helmet-free. Any such relaxation would throw a lifeline to the struggling CityCycle scheme after speed limits in the CBD were reduced to 40km/h in 2009. Helmet laws are seen as the key roadblock for the struggling scheme, leading to talk about the introduction of helmet vending machines. Exemptions from Australia’s 20-year-old helmet laws for all adults was also considered in the State Government-commissioned report. Documents released under Right to Information laws show researchers were asked to look at benefits and disadvantages of compulsory bicycle helmet laws and examine ‘‘evidence to support a segmented approach to mandatory helmet legislation’’. Debate about the worth of helmet laws and concerns about the impact on public bike hire schemes triggered the study, according to documents. The report was kept secret until early this month when it was released to Brisbane cycling group CBD Bicycle User Group via an RTI request. A spokesman for Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the report showed helmets reduced the likeli- hood of head injury by 60 per cent. But Bicycle Queensland’s Ben Wilson said it was unlikely to stem debate over helmet laws, with the subject set to heat up ahead of the Asia Pacific Cycle Congress in Brisbane in September. Helmet critic Dr Chris Rissel, who triggered the debate with a report last year questioning the effectiveness of helmets, will speak at the conference. CBD Bicycle User Group co- convenor Paul French wants exemp- tions for cyclists riding off-road, saying adults were being treated like children. COMMENT BEN WILSON Bicycle Queensland THE research is strong on the benefits of helmets. It is simple, helmets are reducing the trauma of head injuries. Australia is one of the only countries in the world with compulsory helmet laws and it is quite ironic, with the nanny state debate going on about cigarettes and gambling at the moment. There can be parallels drawn but at the end of the day the majority of people are quite happy to wear helmets. It is like saying let’s remove seatbelt laws and tell people to drive more carefully so you won’t have an accident. At the end of the day, you are safer with a helmet on. Designs have improved a lot in the past 20 years.
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JUNE 19 2011 Page 9ST
thesundaymail.com.au 9NEWS
Lookingforwardto saferkids’ rideJackie Sinnerton
Up front: Sylvia Vincencand Charlie, 3, lead the wayin using the new child seat.Picture: Glenn Hampson
SYLVIA Vincenc of South-port and her three-year-olddaughter, Charlie, are fans ofthe front rider seat. But theyare in the minority.
Despite it being the safestway to carry children on abike, Queensland parentshave been slow to warm tothe handlebar child seat.
‘‘Only one in every hun-dred customers seek out thefront-positioned seat,’’ saidPaul Bowden, the manager atLifecycle bike shop on PetrieTce, Brisbane. ‘‘They tend tobe attracted to the ones fittedbehind the rider. I think thereis the perception they (frontseats) may not be so safe.’’
But Kidsafe Queenslandchief Susan Teerds said rid-ing in the front positionmeant not only would child-ren have a more stable ridebut it was more stimulating.
‘‘An adult can talk to themand give them guidance as tohow to behave on thejourney,’’ she said.
The front carrier was al-ready a hit in Europe, es-pecially Holland, and MsTeerds expected Australiawould soon catch on.
‘‘It has taken a while forthe seats to go through thevigorous safety proceduresin Australia. But they haveAustralian Standards ap-proval. If they have theAustralian Standards sticker,(they’re the best option) pro-viding all the safetymeasures are in place.’’
Children’s legs must besecured, a five-point harnessmust hold them in, and thechair and helmet must havebeen expertly fitted. Also theadult rider’s legs need tohave free movement.
Ms Vincenc said the frontseat felt more stable and wasmore stimulating for Charlie.
‘‘The other good thing iswhen they’re smaller, theycan use the little tray/rest tohave a nap,’’ she said.
Stackhat hereto stayKelmeny FraserConsumer affairs
QUEENSLAND’S tough bicycle hel-met laws are here to stay after a reportfound any relaxation could increasehead injury rates by 50 per cent.
The Sunday Mail can reveal the StateGovernment secretly commissioned a$34,000 study into potentially scrap-ping compulsory helmet laws ahead ofthe roll-out of Brisbane’s controversialCityCycle scheme and the release of areport questioning the effectiveness ofhelmets in preventing injury.
The confidential study by Queens-land University of Technology’sCentre for Accident Research andRoad Safety examined whether cyc-lists off-road or in 40km/h speed zonesshould be allowed to ride helmet-free.
Any such relaxation would throw alifeline to the struggling CityCyclescheme after speed limits in the CBDwere reduced to 40km/h in 2009.
Helmet laws are seen as the keyroadblock for the struggling scheme,leading to talk about the introductionof helmet vending machines.
Exemptions from Australia’s20-year-old helmet laws for all adultswas also considered in the StateGovernment-commissioned report.
Documents released under Right toInformation laws show researcherswere asked to look at benefits anddisadvantages of compulsory bicyclehelmet laws and examine ‘‘evidence tosupport a segmented approach tomandatory helmet legislation’’.
Debate about the worth of helmetlaws and concerns about the impact onpublic bike hire schemes triggered thestudy, according to documents.
The report was kept secret untilearly this month when it was releasedto Brisbane cycling group CBD BicycleUser Group via an RTI request.
A spokesman for Transport Minister
Annastacia Palaszczuk said the reportshowed helmets reduced the likeli-hood of head injury by 60 per cent.
But Bicycle Queensland’s BenWilson said it was unlikely to stemdebate over helmet laws, with thesubject set to heat up ahead of the AsiaPacific Cycle Congress in Brisbane inSeptember.
Helmet critic Dr Chris Rissel, whotriggered the debate with a report lastyear questioning the effectiveness ofhelmets, will speak at the conference.
CBD Bicycle User Group co-convenor Paul French wants exemp-tions for cyclists riding off-road, sayingadults were being treated like children.
COMMENTBEN WILSONBicycle Queensland
THE research is strong on thebenefits of helmets. It is simple,helmets are reducing the traumaof head injuries.
Australia is one of the onlycountries in the world withcompulsory helmet laws and it isquite ironic, with the nanny statedebate going on about cigarettesand gambling at the moment.
There can be parallels drawnbut at the end of the day themajority of people are quitehappy to wear helmets.
It is like saying let’s removeseatbelt laws and tell people todrive more carefully so you won’thave an accident.
At the end of theday, you are saferwith a helmet on.
Designs haveimproved a lotin the past 20years.