The results of the annual bicycle helmet surveys conducted since 1983 indicate that helmet wearing rates of Victorian cyclists, after having shown substantial annual increases since 1983 when active government promotion of helmet wearing commenced, have levelled out or even decreased in 1988. In 1988, in the metropolitan area, the helmet wearing rates for students cycling to school were 62.5 per cent for primary school children, 12.7 per cent for secondary school children and 42.7 per cent for adult commuters cycling to work or the shops. In 1988, in ten country towns, the helmet wearing rates for students cycling to school were 52.0 per cent for primary school children, 13.2 per cent for secondary school children and 10.5 per cent for adult commuters cycling to work or the shops. In both the metropolitan and country areas the wearing rates for each age group of cyclists riding for recreation is approximately half that when the cyclists are riding to a specific destination e.g., school or work/ shops. (Author/publisher)
Abstract