The Association’s Think Positive tool kit is a step-by-step manual that assists police officers in developing, implementing and maintaining incentive programs that reinforce safe behavior—specifically, proper helmet use by children and adolescents on bicycles, skateboards, scooters and skates.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability among children. Each year, approximately 200,000 children in the U.S. are hospitalized due to brain injuries sustained on bicycles, skateboards, scooters and skates. A properly worn helmet is the single most effective safety device available to reduce brain injury and death by as much as 88%, according to former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD. Still, it is estimated that only 15% to 25% of children actually wear helmets, despite our state’s mandatory helmet law (New Jersey state law P.L.2005, c.208), which requires anyone under age 17 to wear one while biking, skating and participating in other wheeled activities.
Think Positive offers police a program that uses positive reinforcement to enforce New Jersey’s helmet law. The approach involves officers handing out positive tickets to reward children and adolescents “caught” wearing their helmets. Each ticket includes information on brain injury and helmet safety as well as a reward, such as a coupon for a free slice of pizza, ice cream, discount on a movie, or similar incentive. These incentives are provided by local businesses. The program fosters safe and responsible behavior, strengthens community, and builds positive relationships between youth and police officers.
Download Think Positive Tool Kit by section:
Download Sample Tickets
Download Merchant Support Letter
Download Sample Letters
Download Media Outreach
Download Ideas for Helmet Safety Presentations
Download Wheeled Sport / Bike Rodeo Resources
Download NJ Helmet Programs in the News
Download Helmet Program Resources
Download Brain Injury Fact Sheet
Download BIANJ Resources
Download References
For more information about Think Positive, or if your police department would like a free copy of the tool kit, please contact Prevention Outreach Coordinator Wendy Berk at 732-972-3451 or wberk@bianj.org.
Funding
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey’s development of Think Positive: A Helmet Safety Reward Program was funded by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Highway Traffic Safety.