Five Tauranga school students received a huge surprise when they were presented with their winning helmets as part of Travel Safe’s “Design Your Own Helmet” competition, while filming a video about the importance of wearing one.

The students were brought together under the guise of interviewing Health New Zealand Bay of Plenty trauma medical director Jacques Marnewick.

During the interview, Marnewick highlighted how helmets play a critical role in preventing serious head injuries, which are a major cause of hospitalisation and death in cycling accidents.

“We know from our hospital data that about a third of patients admitted to hospital following a cycling accident were not wearing a helmet,” he explains.

“The sad reality is that without a helmet, the risk of a moderate or severe head injury is much, much higher. Wearing a properly fitting helmet is a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of these life-changing injuries. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is – it could be the difference between life and death.”

When it was his turn with the mic, he asked the students if they knew who won the helmet competition. After receiving a resounding “no”, he surprised them by presenting their winning helmets.

The students were left speechless and thrilled to see their designs brought to life.

Year 4 student Lukas Philip said he always wears a helmet: “If we don’t, we can fall and really hurt ourselves.”

Year 4 student Lukas Philip received a huge surprise when he was presented with his winning helmet as part of Travel Safe’s ‘Design Your Own Helmet’ competition. Photo / supplied

Arataki Ward councillor Rick Curach knows first-hand the importance of wearing a helmet after sustaining serious injuries falling from his electric scooter in 2019. He believes his helmet saved him from an extremely serious head injury and praised Travel Safe’s initiative, calling it a fun and creative way to promote helmet safety.

“Every year, our Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty schools embrace this competition. This year, we received 1299 entries! It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to express their creativity while keeping bike safety top of mind.”

Acting manager safety and sustainability Karen Hay said the competition also serves as a timely reminder to check helmet quality and fit.

“Make sure your helmet is still in good condition – check the shell, foam, and straps for any damage,” she explains.

“A helmet only works properly if it fits well. We recommend the ‘2-4-1’ method: two fingers between your helmet and eyebrows, four fingers making a V-shape around your ears, and one finger between your chin and the buckle.”

The competition will reopen again in October this year. Keep an eye on Travel Safe’s Facebook page for details.

2025 Design your own helmet category winners:

Year 1 and 2 – Milly Stephenson, Omanu School Year 3 and 4 – Lukas Philip, Tahatai Coast School Year 5 and 6 – Eunyu Jung, Tauranga Primary School Year 7 and 8 – Ally Fungsathian, Ōtūmoetai Intermediate Year 9-13 – Zofia, Mount Maunganui College Teacher – Scott Higgins, Mount Maunganui Intermediate