WATCH: Shropshire bike accident girl's video is an internet hit
An 11-year-old Shropshire girl who was seriously injured in a road accident has made a video from her hospital bed, urging cyclists to always wear helmets.
Amey Hogan says her helmet saved her life.
She suffered serious head and face injuries, including two skull fractures, one of which damaged the optic nerve which means Amey has permanently lost the sight in her right eye.
Watch the video:
The accident happened three weeks ago as Amey was cycling to school in her home village, Ruyton-XI-Towns, near Oswestry.
She was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she underwent surgery to fix her jaw which was broken in two places and to mend her smashed cheekbones.
Now recovering she surprised her family with the video, made on her mobile phone.
In it Amey has posted a series of pictures taken over the last three weeks along with powerful statements.
She wrote that she had suffered serious injuries but was slowly getting better, day by day.
"I was on my bike. I came out of my friend's drive and right there, there was a van.
"I am so lucky that it wasn't any worse. I have had so much support.
"The bike helmet saved my life."
Amey then writes a message to other cyclists, telling them: "Be careful. Don't rush, but most importantly wear a helmet when biking. It saved my life, it could save yours too."
Her grandmother, Karen Rooney, said despite the accident she had remained true to her character and kept everyone smiling.
"She has been incredibly brave and strong. Then her Mum, Vikki,discovered the video that Amey had made. Vikki feels strongly that Amey’s story should be shared in the hope it saves someone else going through what our family has."
The video has already been viewed almost 28,000 times on Facebook.
While Amey was in hospital the local community set up a Just Giving internet page to raise funds so that her mother, a self employed beautician, could concentrate on visiting Amey in hospital, to help with travel and parking costs."
Ruyton-XI-Towns Parish Council is now looking at the possibility of extending the 20mph speed limit outside the school to other roads in the village.
Wearing a helmet cuts risk of injury in cycle accidents by 60 per cent
Research shows cycle helmets reduce the risk of serious injury by 60 per cent.
But, surprisingly, safety charity Rospa does not think they should be made compulsory for cyclists.
It responded to a Government review, launched last year, into cycling safety.
Shropshire Star comment:
Rospa said it supported the view of Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman, who said a ban could be detrimental as it would discourage physical exercise.
A charity spokesman said: “Helmets are highly recommended, as they will reduce the risk of receiving major head or brain injuries in an accident. And they are especially effective for children in accidents, which do not involve a collision with a motor vehicle.
“For those who choose to wear helmets, they are most effective when correctly fitted in low speed collisions up to 20km/h, and high visibility jackets are beneficial provided the reflective strips are not covered by a bag, for example.
“However, making the helmet compulsory will likely have negative effects on cycling as a whole. It could discourage people from cycling, meaning they will not be getting the many health benefits that the activity brings.”
Research by the Institute for Road Safety Research in Holland, suggests mandatory wearing could save five children’s and five adults’ lives per year. And new research in Norway says they reduce the risk of serious head injuries by 60 per cent.
But the Rospa spokesman said: “An enforced ban would have a hugely detrimental effect on bicycle use, and therefore healthy outdoor activity.”
Alena Høye of the Norwegian Centre for Transport Research said the protective effect of bicycle helmets is the same for children and adults, adding: “We might have thought helmets have a greater protective effect on adults because they cycle faster or because their spills are from higher up. On the other hand, children cycle less in traffic and we could expect them to have a higher proportion of single-bicycle accidents, where helmets have a greater effect.
“But the results show no differences in this respect – bike helmets are equally important for adults and children.”
