Bicycling is a popular activity in British Columbia. Partly because of the moderate climate where much of the population lives, bicycling is both a common recreational activity and a mode of transportation for many individuals. Unfortunately, each year a number of bicyclists are killed in collisions and many more are injured. In the 10-year period ending in 1995, 137 bicyclists died in B.C. In 1997, 872 persons were injured in bicycle collisions with motor vehicles. Injuries are most common among two age groups of cyclists: those aged 6 though 15 and those 21 to 40 years of age (ICBC, 1998). A large majority of bicycling deaths and disabling injuries result from head injury. About 75% of all bicyclist fatalities, and two-thirds of hospital admissions for bicycling injury involve head trauma (Rivara et al., 1998). Accordingly, the development of effective bicycle helmets, followed by promotion of their routine correct use, has long been a priority in the injury prevention community. Approximately 90% of bicyclists who die from head injuries are injured in a collision with a motor vehicle (MMWR, 1995). The large majority of less serious injuries, including 75% of non-fatal head injuries, occur in crashes (or ‘falls’) that do not involve a motor vehicle. A number of studies indicate that properly worn bicycle helmets are highly effective in preventing, or reducing the seriousness of, head injury. For example, in a study of bicyclists seen in Seattle area emergency departments, Thompson et al. (1996) found that any head injury, and serious head injury, were substantially less common among bicyclists who had been wearing a helmet. A British study (Maimaris et al., 1994) found a highly similar protective effect for helmet wearers. A study of Australian bicyclists seen in Melbourne area hospitals also reported that helmet wearers were substantially less likely to experience either head or facial injury (McDermott et al., 1994). In an overview of studies that have examined helmet effectiveness, Rivara et al. (1998) report that helmets reduce the risk of head or brain injury by at least 70 percent and injury to the upper or mid-face by 65%. Of the nearly 2000 British Columbia bicyclists injured in a collision with a motor vehicle in 1995, 25.8% were wearing a helmet at the time. This is a great deal lower than the rate of seat belt use in British Columbia, even though helmets are similar to seatbelts in protecting against serious or fatal injury if used. (A)
Abstract