Parenting Tips

Stephanie Gosk is a mom and a reporter for NBC News.  Recently Stephanie reported that in March, she was flying down a hill like the wind, feeling wonderfully young and enthusiastic as she tried to catch up with friends ahead, when her bike hit a huge pothole caused by the winter freezes and thawing.  The impact was dramatic.  She crashed and was dragged face-first on the pavement as her bicycle slid across the concrete.

The injuries to her face and head included black eyes, large swellings and bruises, a badly abraised nose, and she looked as if she had been beaten.  Her hand, and thumb, required a specialist for hand surgery to repair a badly injured thumb and hand.  She missed work, and needed care for herself and for her children.   It was a very serious event and could have cost her, her life!  She credits her well-fitting helmet with saving her. Watch this Today.com video from April 27, 2022 where Stephanie Gosk shares bike accident story and highlights helmet safety.

Stephanie gave us the gift of telling her story, to save us and our children from a similar accident and injury.  She noted that when she observes groups of cyclists she is often amazed that few are wearing helmets. Stephanie was protected from concussion.  The Brain Injury Association of America tells us that riders not wearing helmets are twice as likely to have a brain injury!

People Magazine covered her experience saying, “Gosk Urges Bike Safety After Her ‘Gruesome’ Crash:  ‘I am Extraordinarily Lucky’!” Although she had many facial injuries which required stitches, her head was fine, “thanks to my helmet.  My helmet was cracked through in two places!”

Look for the following resources: 

• Watch Today on Instagram, to read Stephanie’s personal essay and see photos April 27-29.
• See ratings for helmets offering the best protection @Stefan_M_Duma, Virginia Tech ICTAS (@ictasvt), read Stephanie’s story on Twitter April 28.

Did you know that helmets are dated, and should be disposed of at the end of 5 years due to the breakdown of the materials making helmets less protective with the passage of time? Be careful when choosing a used helmet to be sure it is NOT cracked and not past its fifth birthday!  For printable bike safety posters, how to fit a helmet, coloring sheets, bike safety pictures, handouts, activity kits in English and Spanish, go to nhtsa.gov, and SafeKids.org.