Components of a Community-Based Bicycle Helmet Campaign

Components of a Community-Based Bicycle Helmet Campaign Bicycle helmet campaigns should include a number of specific components, regardless of the actual activities (e.g., bicycle rodeos, coupon programs, and helmet giveaways) that are included in the campaign.

A Coalition

A coalition of appropriate individuals, agencies, and organizations that represent all facets of the community should participate in all phases of the campaign, beginning with the development of a plan and the selection of target groups, through implementing the interventions and evaluating the effort. The following organizations should be considered for inclusion in campaigns: health departments; schools; parent-teacher-student organizations; police departments; churches; neighborhood and tenant associations; health care providers, including physicians, nurses, and emergency response personnel; community organizations (e.g., Kiwanis and Junior League); youth clubs (e.g., Girl Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of America, and 4-H); businesses, such as bicycle shop owners; and local government leaders and political organizations.

A Plan

A campaign to promote bicycle helmets should begin with a well organized plan that includes the following components:

1. Goals and objectives that reflect what the community wants to achieve, what it determines is feasible, and the activities that are needed to achieve them. The goals and objectives should also reflect current rates of bicycle helmet use in the community.

2. A description of the primary target group for the campaign (e.g., children less than 15 years of age). Information on bicycle helmet use and rates of bicycle-related injury in the community should be used to select this target group.

3. A description of the intervention program(s) that will be used. The program should address barriers to helmet use in the target group (e.g., the cost of helmets) and include strategies for overcoming these barriers (e.g., discount coupons). In addition, the messages of the campaign should be designed so they are easily understood and accepted by the target group. Finally, programs should be offered in locations where the target group can be reached.

The following are educational and promotional strategies that have been used in some communities:

· Media campaigns often begin with a kick-off press conference and continue throughout the campaign to increase awareness and help create a community norm of wearing bicycle helmets. These campaigns can include public service announcements; newspaper articles; radio and television news programs and talk shows; and distribution of brochures, posters, fact sheets, and other printed materials.

· Educational campaigns may be offered through schools and youth organizations, churches, and civic and business organizations in the community. Speakers' bureaus are an effective way to conduct many of these activities.

· Events such as bicycle safety and skill rodeos combine fun and learning for both children and adults. These events demonstrate and promote helmet use along with other aspects of bicycle safety, provide good opportunities to distribute educational materials, and allow participants to interact with persons who have avoided injury by using bicycle helmets.

· Promotional activities, such as discount coupons for bicycle helmets and giveaway programs, provide incentives for acquiring bicycle helmets, particularly for persons who have difficulty affording one. Coupons can be obtained from helmet manufacturers or local bicycle shops. The program could also provide other incentives to obtain a helmet.

4. An evaluation component to determine if the program is reaching its goals. This evaluation should assess bicycle helmet use before and after the intervention(s) is conducted and at specific intervals thereafter.

5. A strategy for making bicycle helmet use a societal norm so that the public will maintain or increase levels of helmet use.

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