By Jane Prendergast
and Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Teddy Young, 6, of Mount Airy, takes a spill riding a bike in a friend's backyard on Cary Avenue in College Hill Wednesday. On Saturday his helmet won't just be a family rule, it'll be the law. The Cincinnati Enquirer/STEVEN M. HERPPICH

Cincinnati on Saturday joins a growing number of cities that mandate kids wear bike helmets or risk a $100 fine.

Anyone under 16 riding a bicycle, skateboard or scooter or wearing skates must wear protective headgear.

The law allows police to first warn riders. Police can require kids to watch a safety video on a second offense. Third and subsequent offenses draw a minor misdemeanor ticket, which costs $100.

"We very much support ordinances like this," said Krista Jones, coordinator of "Ride With Pride, Wear a Helmet" program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "We'd like to see every child in a helmet."

The Children's emergency department saw 828 victims of bicycling accidents in 2002. Only 12 percent of the children involved reported wearing a helmet. Eighty children were hurt seriously enough to be admitted. Of those with head injuries, 85 percent were not wearing helmets.

There are 85 million bicycle riders in the United States, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute in Arlington, Va.. About 800 die every year following accidents, two-thirds because of traumatic brain injury.

Cincinnati will be at least the fifth Greater Cincinnati community to adopt a bike helmet law. Others are Waynesville, Glendale, Madeira and Blue Ash.

In some places, such as Blue Ash, parents can be cited. None have been yet, said Capt. John Pohlman, since the city's ordinance took effect in October. Officers have stopped helmetless kids, though, he said, and issued friendly warnings.

"The parents are the best ones to enforce it," he said. "Stopping a kid in a police car and writing a ticket is (excessive)."

The safety institute estimates that 20 states and more than 125 communities nationwide have helmet laws.

Cincinnati Police Officer Kathy Horn has been looking for donated helmets for kids in the East End, where she's neighborhood officer.

She's working with the LeBlond Community Center on a bike safety carnival May 24. "We just want everyone to be able to be safe," Horn said.

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com