Editor’s note: This letter was written by a friend of Berrett Crossley, who died earlier this month after a skateboarding accident where he wasn’t wearing a helmet. It was originally an argumentative essay for her 7th grade Language Arts class.

People who ride skateboards should wear helmets because wearing a helmet helps to protect one of our most vital organs — the brain. Nearly twice as many people who suffered injuries while skateboarding were not wearing a helmet, versus those who were. (https://sciencenorway.no)

“Most hospitalizations involve head injury. Even injuries that heal quickly can cause pain and anxiety, cost time, and money and may lead to disabilities” (skateboardsafety.org). This shows that if you don’t wear a helmet you’re most likely to get injured, which can lead to disabilities. The fact is that head trauma is life-threatening, and is far too common, but can be prevented with proper protective gear.

Helmets should be mandatory because according to professionals, “wearing helmets is a must especially when it comes to vert and bowl skating. You can never tell when an accident is going to happen. By being proactive in protecting yourself, you can save yourself from a concussion or a skull fracture” (skateboardershq.com). This shows that if you don’t wear a helmet you are at risk. Better be safe than sorry, and wearing a helmet is much easier to do than dealing with the alternative if an injury occurs.

Regardless of how long they have been participating in the sport, or how skilled a skateboarder is, helmet safety should not be avoided. Many of the injuries that take place each year happen to professional or semi-professional riders, who take years of abuse throughout their careers. Last year, a 19 year old local skateboarder, who had been skating for 7 years suffered traumatic brain injury after falling while doing a trick and not wearing a helmet.

You can wear a bike helmet for skateboarding, but not any helmet. A skateboard helmet should cover the back of the head when you’re riding a skateboard. Bike helmets often provide back head cover but less so than skateboard helmets.

You may not want to wear a helmet but it could save your life! You may say, “I have been riding for a couple years, I don’t need to wear a helmet.” You’re putting yourself at risk. You can still get hurt. Anything is possible.

Skateboarding is not recommended for young children. That’s because they are still growing and do not yet have the physical skills and thinking ability a person needs to control a skateboard and ride it safely. “People should always wear helmets when skateboarding, but skateboarders are naturally rebellious, so many of them don’t wear helmets” (Patch.com). This shows that younger people can get hurt much more easily then an adult.

People who ride skateboards should wear helmets in order to protect themselves from possible injury. It should be mandatory to wear a helmet when riding a skateboard. “Head injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in these types of crashes. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of death or injury and reduce the severity of the injury in the event of a crash” (John Hopkins Medicine).

If you really care about your loved ones, you should make sure to wear a helmet.

Jade Merkley

Buckley