This report is structured as follows. Following the introduction, in Section 2 statistics are reviewed on injuries suffered by pedal cyclists, both in Australia and in other countries. The emphasis is placed on head injuries. The typical characteristics of a bicycle accident are described in Section 3. In Section 4, the mechanism of head injury is described, as are features of helmet design and construction aimed at reducing the likelihood of head injury on impact. Section 5 reviews the several good published studies of helmet effectiveness, undertaken studies and studies which have followed the effects of legislation on helmet use. Also reviewed are data on the present use of bicycle helmets, and some information on increasing such use through education and legislation, both in Australia and overseas. These include both quasi-experimental case comparison studies and studies which have followed the effects of legislation on helmet use. Also reviewed are data on the present use of bicycle helmets, and some information on increasing such use through education and legislation. (A)
Abstract