Life is precious.” That simple, powerful phrase is at the heart of Heads Smart’s mission. Heads Smart is a volunteer program that seeks to develop the next generation of helmet-wearing, safe cyclists through education, advocacy, and by providing free bicycle helmets to qualifying individuals.

      

Heads Smart was born out of personal experience — a tragedy that served as a turning point.  Over thirty-five years ago, Heads Smart Co-Chair, Marsha Rickles, lost her seven-year old son, Jonathon, to severe head trauma, which was  sustained in a bicycle collision with a car. Supported by National Council of Jewish

Women (NCJW), she ran a successful educational and advocacy campaign that eventually led to the passing of a law mandating helmets for children 16 and younger in the state of New Jersey where she lived.

      

Marsha brought her life saving efforts to south Florida with the continued support of NCJW Palm Beach Section and her Co-chair, Ilene Leefer, an avid cyclist whose life was saved by her helmet when she took a serious fall from her bike.  Together, they transformed loss into purpose: focusing on prevention,

awareness, and action.

     

Heads Smart executes its mission by conducting bicycle safety programs for schools and communities in South Florida. Their flagship program, “You Must be Present to Win,” a collaborative effort with the Boca Raton Bicycle Club, integrates school wide bicycle safety education with an attendance incentive

program. Every year, one lucky Title 1 school is selected to participate in this free program where students are motivated  to come to school with the possibility of winning a bicycle and helmet. Every month, a student who has had perfect attendance and no tardies is randomly selected to receive the  award, chosen just for that individual. 

      

“As part of the program, the school invites us to teach helmet and bike safety to all of its  students. Last year, we reached over 800 students in Liberty Park Elementary School in  Greenacres. This year, we will be reaching over 1200 students at the largest elementary school  in Palm Beach County: C.O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School in Palm Springs,” said Ilene.

       

Following their educational program, Heads Smart measures the heads of students who self-identify as not having a helmet and orders the correct sizes. When the helmets come in, Marsha and Ilene, with the help of a small army of volunteers from NCJW Palm Beach and the Boca Raton Bicycle Club, fit each student to their helmet. Last year, they measured, fit and distributed over 200 students with helmets at Liberty Park

Elementary School.

    

Beyond schools, Heads Smart makes bicycle safety presentations  aimed at parents and  community members, including at Ibis. These powerful programs have been able to  raise awareness about the importance of helmets and how to wear them correctly , safe cycling practices, and how to support children and grandchildren in adopting safe cycling behaviors.

      

Heads Smart is dedicated to making an impact on cyclists of all types and ages,  including those on e-bikes and e-scooters,  in order to prevent head trauma and save lives. E-bikes and motorized scooters

have become increasingly popular in recent years. Due to the weight of these vehicles, the speeds at which they travel and the lack of experience and education of their young “drivers”, our community and

communities nation-wide have experienced alarming rates of death and serious injuries, similar to the types of injuries seen in motorcycle accidents. In light of these frightening findings , Heads Smart has created an educational program focused specifically on e-bikes, which includes explanations of the different 

classifications,  the types of helmets required (not all helmets are created equal!) and the rules of the road.

          

Not a cyclist? How about a motorist? As a motorist, have you ever been unsure of what to do when a cyclist is riding along the side of the road? What about when cyclists are actually in your lane of traffic? Is

that even legal?  

       

The Heads Smart program, “Motorists and Cyclists Coexisting in Safety” contains a series of tips based on real life experiences culled by cyclists who are also motorists. Tips like “disengage from the rage” and “think of the cyclist as a member of your family” are obvious. How and when to pass a cyclist or a group

of cyclists, when to honk, and where to look for cyclists are not so evident. This kind of information saves lives.

     

Check your knowledge  on how to share the road with cyclists with this self-correcting quiz 

created  by  the Florida Bicycle Association.  Motorist quiz.

 "We are passionate about saving lives,” said Marsha, “And in Jonathon’s memory, we will  continue to do it  One Helmet at a Time,” 

             

Heads Smart is available to present its life-saving programs free of charge to audiences of  children, teens, parents, and community groups.

For more information, go to  www.headssmart.org or contact Marsha and Ilene at headssmart@ncjwpalmbeach.org.