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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas Medical Association's Hard Hats for Little |
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Heads program has prevented countless children across the Lone Star |
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State from sustaining serious head injuries; and |
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WHEREAS, Focused on its slogan "Get Moving. Stay Safe. Wear a |
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Helmet.," this program was founded by Dr. Larry Driver in 1994 to |
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promote bicycling safety while also motivating young people to |
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pursue active and healthy lifestyle choices; and |
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WHEREAS, Head injuries are the nation's leading cause of |
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death and permanent disability in bicycle crashes, and every year, |
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26,000 children in the United States suffer traumatic brain damage |
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in such incidents; less than half of youths ages 5 to 14 wear a |
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helmet when they cycle, and many of those who do wear one do so |
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incorrectly; wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet can reduce |
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the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent; and |
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WHEREAS, Physicians play a key role in improving health and |
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saving lives by encouraging children to wear well-fitted protective |
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helmets when participating in wheeled sports and recreation, such |
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as roller-skating, skateboarding, and riding nonmotorized |
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scooters, as well as bicycling; through the Hard Hats program, more |
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than 1,500 doctors, medical students, and other volunteers have |
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sponsored helmet giveaways, and during its 20th anniversary year in |
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2014, the initiative distributed a record number of 36,825 helmets, |
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including its 200,000th overall; and |
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WHEREAS, April has been designated as Child Safety Month in |
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Texas, which provides a fitting opportunity to raise awareness |
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about this serious issue and to recognize the outstanding efforts |
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of all those associated with the Hard Hats for Little Heads program; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize April 30, 2015, as Hard Hats for |
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Little Heads Day at the State Capitol and extend to all those |
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associated with the program sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Driver and the staff of the program as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |