Brown getting ready for seventh Helmets on Kids event

Growing up in Mississauga’s village of Clarkson, Toronto critical injury lawyer Patrick Brown developed a love of cycling that shaped who he became as an adult. And as new generations of cyclists take to their neighbourhood streets each year, Brown wants to do his part to ensure they can do so safely.

“I grew up on my bike,” says Brown, a partner with McLeish Orlando LLP. In fact, Brown didn’t purchase a car until his early 30s – when he moved out of the city when his first child was born – because he found he didn’t need one.

“Even now that I live out in Oakville, I still like to commute with my bike,” he says. “It’s healthy, but it’s also just enjoyable to ride.”

500 helmets to be donated

For the seventh consecutive year, Brown has organized a campaign called Helmets on Kids, which sees 500 helmets donated to students with a goal of stopping the dangerous trend of kids riding bikes without helmets.

“Some of the best moments of my day are on my bike,” says Brown. “When I cross the Humber Bay Arch Bridge and see people rowing in the mornings, it’s beautiful. And from there, I’ve got 10 km of worry-free path cycling … I just love it.”

Brown has passed his love of cycling onto his two daughters – aged 13 and 15 – and riding is often a major part of family vacations, he says.

For the first time, this year’s Helmets on Kids event, held at Parkdale Junior and Senior Public School, will run in conjunction with a Saturday Bike Fair. The helmet donation will be one part of the fair, with other activities including a bike signal demonstration and an obstacle course. The event takes place on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Brown scheduled to speak in the morning.

The weekend date also means parents can attend with their children.

“These kids are the next generation of Torontonians, and I’d love to see them all on their bikes, having the opportunity to ride for the rest of their lives,” says Brown. “We should all take an active role in making sure there are proper areas where kids can cycle and ride their bikes in safety. That’s something I want everyone to work hard for.”

Proven to reduce severity of injuries

Studies show that helmets reduce the severity of head injuries in accident victims, says Brown.

“The event is about raising awareness of the importance of using your bike for health and transportation and that wearing helmets is a good habit to have into adulthood,” he says.

Ontario passed a law in 1995 requiring cyclists under the age of 18 to wear a helmet. Parents can also be charged if they knowingly allow their children, who are under 16, to ride without a helmet on a roadway or sidewalk.

“The more we can get our kids off the PlayStation and onto bikes, the better for everyone,” says Brown. “It’s important that we all make sure the roads are safe and that kids can use the roads to ride their bikes.”

Toronto’s Helmets on Kids campaign was launched in 2009 by McLeish Orlando LLP. Since its inception, the campaign has donated helmets to more than 1,500 public school students across Toronto.