Doctor warns this could have been a young boys head!

A bike helmet saved this young boys life!

Zac Conway, 10, was riding his bike yesterday afternoon when his brakes failed him and he collided with an oncoming car.

A Careflight helicopter attended the scene and rushed Zac to Westmead Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition with a fractured leg, several cuts and abrasions.

“I didn’t really panic until I got into the trauma unit and saw him with all of the wires hooked up and the neck brace on … then it hit me,” mother Jackie Conway told 9NEWS from Zac’s bedside.

Doctors and emergency services said it was the young boy’s bloodied helmet that saved him.

“Yeah, the doctor said if I wasn’t wearing that, that would be my skull and I would be dead right now,” Zac said.

bike accident

Zac will undergo further surgery but is expected to make a full recovery.

Careflight’s, David Wheeldon, said Zac’s survival story was an important reminder for riders to always wear a helmet.

“Strap it on; make sure it’s a good fit. It can make the difference between life and death,” he said.

The law

When riding a bicycle you are required by law to wear an approved helmet securely fitted and fastened.

Research shows that helmets reduce head injuries by up to 74 per cent in crashes with motor vehicles.

A bicycle helmet that is not correctly fitted and fastened does not provide enough protection in a crash.

If you ever doubted the importance of wearing a bike helmet then hopefully this story makes you realise just how crucial they are!

Share your comments below

Image via 9 news

13 Comments

- - mom160421 said
  - 08 Oct 2017
    3:24 pm
So glad Zac will make a full recovery.

- - mom206279 said
  - 06 Oct 2017
    1:10 pm
Helmets are mandatory in my house! This is a great example of how much protection they give. This is one lucky kid!
- mom93821 replied
  
  08 Oct 2017 , 7:52 am
  Mandatory in our house too – preventative measures are simply sensible measures and should always be taken.
- - mom93821 said
  - 06 Oct 2017
    7:13 am
No helmet No ride in our household – brains and heads are just way to precious. Wishing him a good recovery.

- - Ellen said
  - 06 Oct 2017
    3:22 am
Thank God he was wearing a helmet ! Hope & pray Zac recovers fully well and soon .

- - country chick said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    9:37 pm
My son loves wearing a helmet and other mothers sometimes look at me like I’m weird getting him to wear one at 4 years old just doing small rides not on roads….

- - BellaB said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    8:21 pm
A boy at our school recently had an accident exacerbated by the fact he wasn’t wearing a Helmet. A sad reminder to the rest of the school.

- - mom94125 said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    6:33 pm
thank god and his mother for teaching him to be safe! that is why we have the rules in regards to helmets!

- - ashna9 said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    6:18 pm
And that’s why we have helmet laws in Australia!

- - mom112217 said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    6:04 pm
A helmet is definitely a must have and this shows why!

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    1:42 pm
Wow! Definitely a good image to share. I don’t think there is enough awareness around about how important it is!

- - nadine_hill said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    12:38 pm
Thank God he is one of the sensible ones who actually realise the benefits of wearing a helmet – hoping he makes a full recovery! I always cringe when I see kids riding bikes without helmets and think to myself what on earth are their parents thinking about not enforcing the need to wear one!

- - mom90758 said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    11:08 am
Oh my! How scary! I wish Zach a full recovery. And luckily he was wearing the helmet indeed. It saved his life!!