While on patrol this summer, North Dakota law enforcement agencies will be looking for kids wearing helmets. If caught, a child may find themselves making a trip to a local DQ® restaurant.
As part of AAA’s “I Got Caught” campaign, as many as 12,000 North Dakota youth will be written a ‘citation’ for a free small DQ® cone for wearing a helmet while biking, skateboarding or in-line skating.
“We want to encourage youth to wear a helmet in hopes they develop a lifelong appreciation for safety,” said Gene LaDoucer, North Dakota spokesman for AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Program sponsors enjoy providing positive reinforcement to youth and hope parents will take the next step in modeling the desired habit of wearing helmets themselves.”
According to a 2018 study published in the National Library of Medicine, the use of bicycle helmets was found to reduce head injury by 48%, serious head injury by 60% and traumatic brain injury by 53%. A previous Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study had also found that law enforcement and other safety officials can reinforce the need to wear a helmet through positive interactions such as free or discounted helmet distribution programs and incentives for helmet use.
Supporting sponsors of the annual campaign include the North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association, the North Dakota Chiefs of Police Association, Vision Zero and Safe Kids coalitions in Bismarck, Grand Forks, Fargo and Minot and DQ®.
Due to overwhelming positive response from communities, the number of citations provided law enforcement agencies across North Dakota has grown over the eight years of the program, according to LaDoucer. Since 2013, more than 105,000 citations for a free DQ® cone have been issued to youth across the state.
Participating Agencies
Barnes Co. Sheriff’s Office
Benson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Bismarck Police Dept
Burke Co. Sheriff’s Office
Burleigh Co. Sheriff’s Office
Cass Co. Sheriff’s Office
Dickinson Police Dept
Dunn Co. Sheriff’s Office
Fargo Police Dept
Grafton Police Dept
Grand Forks Police Dept
Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office
Jamestown Police Dept
Killdeer Police Dept
Lincoln Police Dept
Mandan Police Dept
McLean Co. Sheriff’s Office
Mercer County Sheriff’s Office
Minot AFB Security Forces
Minot Police Dept
Morton Co. Sheriff’s Office
NDSCS Police Dept
NDSU Police Dept
Nelson County Sheriff
New Town Police Dept
North Dakota Highway Patrol
Renville County Sheriff’s Office
Rolla Police Dept
Stark County Sheriff’s Office
Stutsman Co. Sheriff’s Office
Surrey Police Dept
UND Police Dept.
Valley City Police Dept
Wahpeton Police Dept
Ward Co. Sheriff’s Office
West Fargo Police Dept
Williams Co. Sheriff’s Office
Williston Police Dept
Wishek Police Dept
For more information about the DQ® system, visit DairyQueen.com. Connect with the DQ® system on Twitter using ##HappyTastesGood and follow the system at twitter.com/dairyqueen. Visit the DQ® Facebook fan page and become a friend at facebook.com/dairyqueen.
About AAA - The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 14 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 62 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.