Attorney Roger Pardieck has seen many instances of severe brain injury during his career.

That’s why the kids who complete a safety lecture and a bike rodeo at Kids Fest on Saturday at Seymour High School will receive a new Bell Sports bike helmet from The Pardieck Law Firm. Kids can participate in the lecture and rodeo any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The bike helmet project promotes the issues of bike safety and helmet use and the prevention of brain injury. This is the firm’s 16th year sponsoring the project.

“One study that appeared in the medical journal ‘Pediatrics’ found that only 4 percent of children’s helmets were in good shape and fit right,” Pardieck said. “Most of the problems were with the fit. Either the helmet moved from front to back too easily or the straps were too loose. Our staff will train the parents and the kids to use the correct procedure to get a good fit for their helmets. It’s a three-stage fitting process that a leading pediatrician designed.”

Seymour Assistant Police Chief Craig Hayes, who will conduct the bike rodeo, will determine the riding ability of the participants. The safety lecture is sponsored by Matt Nicholson of B2 Bikes and Boards.

Pardieck said the partnership with the law firm, Seymour Police Department and B2 Bikes and Boards has been a successful one for hundreds of kids and their parents who want to learn about preventing concussions and other serious head injuries.

Brain injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes, and riders without helmets are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than riders with a helmet, Pardieck said.