The Morganton Department of Public Safety was recently notified that they were recipients of 100 bike helmets through the 2023 NC DOT Bicycle Helmet Initiative. These helmets will be a mixture of sizes and are given out through this grant to target low income families who may not have access to safety equipment.

The goal is to reduce the risk of death and head injuries in children when they ride a bike. Morganton Public Safety was 1 of 285 organizations statewide to be awarded helmets, with a total of 23,000 helmets given out this year.

Since 2018, this program has provided over 45,000 free bike helmets for youth riders in North Carolina. Research shows bicycle helmets prevent 60% of head injury deaths and they reduce the risk of head injuries by up to 85%. Unfortunately, less than half of all children wear a helmet when they ride a bike.

The Department of Public Safety tells citizens to check social media and the City of Morganton website for upcoming events where Public Safety will be giving these helmets away to younger riders and providing bike safety information as well. For further information concerning this grant, contact Lt. Tayler Alexander at talexander@morgantonps.org