Safety goes to their head in helmet competition

FLOWER POWER: Mia Olsen, 8, one of the Travel Safe Design your Own Helmet competition winners, models her helmet. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Young kids around the Bay will be riding the streets in style after winning the annual Design your Own Helmet competition.

The five group winners got their winning helmet designs professionally airbrushed and will not only look cool riding but will also be safe, emphasising the Travel Safe competition's message of road safety.

The competition has grown over the past five years, with this year seeing 917 entries from children aged 5-12, as well as a new teacher division.

Winner of the 7 to 8 years division, Mia Olsen, 8, designed a flowery helmet, as stylish as it was bright.

The win came as a surprise to her and she said she would be wearing her new helmet all the time, maybe even when not even riding her bike.

The young Omanu School student's design was inspired by her old helmet, which also had flowers, but she used her favourite colours for the new one.

Mia said she loved biking, because she liked getting fresh air.

The winners were presented with their helmets on Thursday by Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout who said it was a really fun way of highlighting the importance of safe cycling.

"It stimulates conversation in the classroom and at home," he added.

The kids enjoyed creating helmet art and it was more important than ever now the council was investing in more urban cycleways, Mr Clout said.

Last year saw about 750 entries so this year's 917 was a pleasing turnout, he said.

The winning designs were voted on by council staff and police and entries were received from 21 schools around Tauranga.