HOWELL — Howell Police Department Traffic Safety Sgt. Joe Markulic and the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey (BIANJ) have teamed up to offer bicycle helmets and programs aimed at bringing awareness and education to brain injury prevention.
Markulic has about 50 helmets, donated by BIANJ, that will be provided free to members of the public as long as they are available. The sergeant may be reached at 732-938-4575, Ext. 2831.
“There are no requirements to receive a helmet. It’s about being safe. I’m not worried about people being able to afford it or not,” Markulic said.
BIANJ public education coordinator Wendy Berk has worked with the police department and Markulic to advocate all aspects of transportation safety.
“The organization has grown to become the primary source of information, education, advocacy, support and hope for people with brain injuries and for brain injury prevention in New Jersey,” said Jon Kinsella, BIANJ communications manager.
“We look at statistics and recognize that a large percentage of brain injuries come from transportation related issues,” Berk said. “We have worked with Howell for years. We have done bike rodeos and a Think Positive Program, which is a helmet safety positive reward program.”
The Think Positive Program works with business operators to provide vouchers for items such as a free slice of pizza or a free ice cream cone. When police officers are out and see someone wearing a bicycle helmet, they can pull that person over and hand out a reward — a thank you for wearing a helmet.
Berk said the organization has seen an increase in the use of bicycle helmets.
“Prevention is a huge part of our mission because prevention is the only cure for brain injury,” Kinsella said.
“Teenagers in car crashes make up the highest incidences of brain injuries. Sgt. Markulic was instrumental in bringing in Howell High School to be one of our Champion Schools, which is a teen safe driving program.” Berk said.
“It is a peer-to-peer program where students create a teen safe driving campaign and spread that (message) to other students and the community.
“Rather than having someone create a program and lecture the teens, we go to the teens and have them create the campaigns. Research shows it is so much more effective. Everything is developed by teens, for teens,” she added.