Green Commuter helmet saves staff from major injury

Catherine Wells is an EMR training analyst with UC Davis Health’s Practice Experience Program. At a Green Commuter Program event in 2024, she stopped by to snag a proper fitting helmet.

“The helmet was tighter and provided more coverage than what I would have chosen myself,” she said. “I fretted about how the tight fit would flatten my hair, but the person helping me was adamant an intact skull is more important.”

Looking back, Wells is grateful she participated in the fitting and took that advice.

Riding to work on an e-scooter recently, she struck a small object in the road at full speed sending her flying.

“I cracked my head on the pavement so hard I blacked out for a moment” she recalls. “Had I been wearing a less protective helmet, I would have ended up in the Emergency Department with a terrible head injury, or worse.”

Wells thinks the properly fitting helmet may have saved her life.

Sarah Janus oversees the Green Commuter Program. Hearing this story, she reiterated how critical bike and scooter safety is.

“She’s very lucky,” Janus said. “But beyond luck, she was doing what she could to stay safe.”

The Green Commuter Program has been able to give away free or low-cost helmets thanks to a grant from Be Smart About Safety, the Davis campus’ “Helmet Hair, Don’t Care” campaign, and through funding via the Parking and Transportation Services Department.

“I think this story speaks to the fact that the funding our program has received for these helmets is not important, but also can be lifesaving,” Janus said.

The program is planning a few helmet events for this fall.