This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

No Helmet? Pay Up!

"Stop, kid! get off that bike!" Starting January 1, kids in Florida who ride a bicycle without wearing a helmet risk hearing those words from the police. They might even have to pay $17 for breaking the law!

Florida has joined dozens of other cities and states across the country by passing a helmet law. In Florida the law applies to all kids under 16. With most helmet laws, kids who've received tickets don't have to pay the fine if they can prove that they later went out and bought a helmet.

Why are some states getting so tough on helmetless riders? Think of the last time you fell off your bike. Did you bruise your knee or scrape your elbow? Did you hit your head? Thousands of kids tumble off bicycles every year, and many suffer serious head injuries. Unlike a bruise or a scrape, a head injury can cause permanent damage. A very serious head injury can kill you. But helmets help. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, bike helmets lower the risk of head injury 85%.

Simon Crider, 11, knows how important a helmet can be. In 1995 he was biking in Gainesville, Florida, when he hit a rock and flew over his handlebars. His head hit the pavement, and his helmet cracked. Luckily, it was his helmet and not his head that got damaged.

Still, a lot of kids are not crazy about wearing helmets. Says Mighk (Mike) Wilson, a bicycle-safety leader in Florida: "A big part of it is the 'dork' factor. Some kids just don't think helmets are cool."

Not Simon. He thinks his helmet is plenty cool. "A helmet saved my life," he says. "Sometimes they mess up your hair, but it's worth it."

Next: Top 5 Dog and Cat Names