Two recent deaths are sobering reminders of the importance of bicycle helmets and safety on the roads. First 8-year old Vincent Anastasi of Howard County died when his scooter collided with a minivan in his neighborhood, and last week a 24-year old cyclist from Pennsylvania was killed in Ocean City by an automobile.

Twenty years ago, Howard County lost another young child with much promise, Christopher Kelley, who at 13 years of age was hit by a car while riding his bicycle.

Twenty years ago, cycling in America was forever changed with the passage of the nation's first bicycle helmet law for children younger than 16 here in Howard County. That effort and other bicycle-safety initiatives was led by a group of Chris' Glenwood Middle School classmates.

The student who led the legislative committee of students to pass the bike-helmet law here in Howard County and other jurisdictions across Maryland and the nation, Brian Meshkin, has joined me to form Headstrong Cycling, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing bicycle safety and helmet use and mobilizing cyclists to support charitable causes.

It is our hope that we will again change cycling forever in America.

Brian and I each have three young kids, and we are committed to protecting them and all children here in Howard County. It is our hope that with your volunteer support and/or donations and reaching out to Headstrong Cycling, we can make a small difference by preventing further childhood injuries through education and advocacy.

John Beck

North Laurel

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