The following is a press release issued earlier this week by Holliston Fire Chief Michael Cassidy:

The Town of Holliston has been awarded 76 bicycle helmets as part of the 2011 statewide bicycle safety grant program funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The helmets will be distributed to the Holliston Fire and Police distributed through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD).

The program will provide more than 2,900 helmets to 68 communities and organizations for free distribution this spring and summer. Both public safety departments in Holliston received 38 bicycle helmets as a result of separate grant applications submitted by Police Sergeant George Leurini and Fire Chief Michael Cassidy.

"We are pleased to receive these helmets to enhance our bicycle safety efforts in Holliston," said Police Chief John Moore. “The helmets will be distributed at no cost in our community by both the Police and Fire Departments.”

According to Cassidy, public safety officials have already distributed 100 helmets this month at the Public Safety Day, Powered by Duracell in the Municipal Parking Lot on May 7. Additional distributions are likely during the local National Night Out program on Tuesday, August 2 and Celebrate Holliston on Saturday, September 24. 

Massachusetts law requires any child 16 years of age or younger operating in-line skates, a skate board, scooter, bicycle, or other manually-propelled wheeled vehicle or riding as a passenger on any manually-propelled vehicle on a public way or bicycle path to wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.

Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators, and thus must obey the rules of the road such as traffic signs and signals. When riding in the street, bicyclists should ride in the same direction as traffic. Drivers and pedalcyclists must share the roads safely.  Cyclists should wear reflective gear and ensure that they are highly visible to motorists, especially at night.

According to NHTSA, six of the 334 total traffic fatalities in Massachusetts in 2009 were pedalcyclists. Nationwide, cyclists under age 16 accounted for 13 percent of the total killed and 20 percent of all those injured in vehicular traffic crashes in 2009.  

A bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of serious head and brain injury by as much as 90 percent. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 91 percent of bicyclists killed in 2008 were not wearing helmets. For more information on the bicycle helmet law and bicycle safety tips, go to www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.