Helmet saved life of 3-year-old trapped under car in Eagan, relatives say
A toddler is still in the hospital after a car backed over him Monday. Relatives of the 3-year-old boy say he was scootering on the sidewalk in Eagan when a parked car rolled backwards out of a driveway trapping him underneath.
They say the helmet he was wearing saved his life.
Nick Milton, the general manager of Tangletown Bike Shop in Minneapolis, has similar stories of helmets making the ultimate difference.
"Tripping over [a] kickstand while standing having an ice cream cone to riding with your helmet and a tree branch falls out of the sky and lands on top of you," he said. "We've heard all of those, and the people are still alive."
Milton says a helmet's fit is the most important thing while riding.
"All new helmets are going to have an adjustment on the back for retention as well as the normal clip strap under the chin," he said. "The goal is to put the helmet on without the strap connected and be able to tip over [while the helmet stays] on your head."
Joaquin Valdes rides as often as he can. He says a helmet is an automatic for him.
"It was just instilled in my family to wear a helmet," Valdes said. "I've definitely had some hits where my helmet prevented me from hitting my head to the ground very hard."
Milton says you shouldn't trust helmets more than 10 years old, because they're made safer now.
"You may spend some more money on a helmet to have it lighter weight or more comfortable for a longer duration of ride, but the safety component for all bicycle users will be the same [among helmets] you look at in the store," he said.
Police are investigating why the parked car rolled down the driveway in Eagan.
