Bell Sports Answers Child Safety Concerns with Its New True Fit Helmet Line
Unveils True Fit Technology and Introduces the First One-Adjustment Helmet
SANTA CRUZ, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bell Sports, the preeminent designer of bike helmets and accessories, today announced availability of its line of True Fit bicycle helmets, a one-step self-adjusting helmet designed for unparalleled ease and comfort for kids and adults who participate in wheel-sports, such as bicycling, in-line skating or skateboarding.
“The truth about kids and helmets is simple: if a child’s helmet is not worn correctly, it is not providing proper protection”
Research conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that the majority of children and adolescents wear helmets in inadequate condition and/or with inadequate fit, putting them at risk for substantial head injury. As a result, Bell Sports dedicated more than five years of research and testing to design and develop the True Fit technology and revolutionize and simplify the way helmets are designed and worn for ultimate protection.
“The truth about kids and helmets is simple: if a child’s helmet is not worn correctly, it is not providing proper protection,” said Candi Whitsel, Vice President at Bell Sports. “This is a serious problem that needed a solution, so Bell Sports tapped into our experience and history of making professional-grade helmets to make the best, and easiest, helmet for kids on the market.”
Medical Data Shapes Helmet Design
Experts at Bell worked with kids throughout the United States to gather and analyze fit data to scientifically identify how a helmet should fit. This work helped design the True Fit technology to combat a “false fit,” while making the helmet easy to properly fit on a child’s head. A True Fit helmet only needs one adjustment for the best fit. A newly engineered self-adjusting fit belt with fixed straps ensures the right fit every time.
“False Fit” Leads to Head Injury
According to a national report from Safe Kids Worldwide, a global non-profit organization aimed at preventing accidental childhood injury through education, one in three kids wear their helmets incorrectly. Helmets can sit too far forward or too far back, giving a false fit and less protection. Safe Kids and Bell Sports are working together to raise awareness of the issue and help parents keep their kids as safe as possible.
“Research shows that head injuries account for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths, more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions and about one-third of hospital emergency room visits for bicycling injuries,” said Mitch Stoller, president and CEO, Safe Kids Worldwide. “Without proper protection, a fall of as little as two feet can result in a skull fracture or other traumatic brain injury. We always advocate wearing a helmet for wheel-based sports, and to be as safe as possible that helmet should offer a correct fit.”
Researchers from Falmouth Pediatrics Associates in Massachusetts conducted a 2003 study that identified three individual aspects of a “false fit” that were most problematic: helmet ‘resting position’ too high on the forehead, improper strap position and excessive movement of the helmet from front to back of the head. True Fit helmets address each of these concerns with an innovative new design that uses a single positioning strap to offer children and adults a “True Fit.”
Availability and Pricing
The True Fit line of helmets for toddlers, children, teens and adults is immediately and widely available for purchase at authorized dealers across the country, including Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, Kmart and Fred Meyer. Pricing for the True Fit line of helmets range from approximately $17 to $26 USD. For additional information about the True Fit system, including a showcase of helmet designs and a product finder, please visit www.belltruefit.com.
About Bell Sports
Bell Sports, part of Easton-Bell Sports, Inc., has been the preeminent designer and marketer of branded sports helmets and accessories for more than 50 years. The business expanded from its historic focus in auto racing and motorcycle helmets to become the world’s leading supplier of helmets and accessories for bicycling, snow sports and fitness.
Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded equipment that enhances athletic performance and protection and related accessories for numerous athletic and recreational activities. The Company markets products under such well-known brands as Easton, Bell, Riddell, Giro and Blackburn and incorporates leading technology and designs and are used by professional athletes and enthusiasts alike.
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