Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable..

Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.

YAKIMA, Wash. -- More than half of kids under 18 that get hurt while skateboarding, snowboarding or riding a bike weren't wearing helmets, according to an American Academy of Pediatrics study. Whenever kids buy skateboards, Bonzis Skateboard Shop employees encourage them to buy helmets too, said owner Andy Bonzi. 

"Since I've lived up here, we've lost a few kids from not wearing a helmet," said Bonzi. "I don't want to scare them or deter them but there's a harsh reality that it can happen to you."

Some skaters at Kiwanis Park said they choose not to wear helmets. 

"It's not comfortable, I don't skate comfortable with a helmet," said Mauricio Sanchez.

Sanchez broke his wrist seven months into his skateboarding career. He said he wasn't wearing a helmet and still doesn't. 

Bonzi said a lot of skaters come in after they've seen or been in a bad crash. 

"If I cut open my head then that's to the point where I will wear a helmet," said an eighth-grader at Washington Middle School, Crystian Guardado.

Guardado said he feels confident enough to not wear a helmet. He does admit he's sometimes hesitant to practice new tricks without one on.

Bonzi said the extra cost of 40-50 dollars for a helmet may also be a factor. 

"Kids don't have, at least around here, they don't have a lot of funds to buy a board, to begin with," said Bonzi.

Doctors say wearing a helmet can reduce the risk and severity of head injuries by 63 percent and loss of consciousness by 85. 

Bonzi ensures every skater finds the perfect fit helmet. He said skaters need a snug helmet that covers the back of the head and half of the forehead with a snug chin strap. 

Bonzi recommends kids wear their helmets around the house to break them in, like shoes. Once they're ready to hit the skate park, they can just focus on landing safely. 

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