The objective of this retrospective before-and-after analysis study in two urban countries representing 40% of Nebraska's population was to document the effect of a reenacted comprehensive helmet use law on injuries and fatalities. Participants were six hundred seventy-one patients who were reported as injured to the Nebraska Department of Roads in the period from one year before through one year after the reenactment on January 1, 1989. The helmet use law was temporally associated with a 26% decrease in the reported rate of motorcycle crashes in Nebraska compared with five other midwestern states. There were sharp declines in the number (and rates) of reported injured, hospital transports, hospital admissions, severe nonhead injuries, severe head injuries, and deaths. Serious head injuries (Abbreviated Injury Score, 3 or higher) decreased 22%. The percentage of injured motorcyclists with serious head injuries was significantly lower among the helmeted motorcyclists (5%) than among the unhelmeted cyclists (14%) for the two years combined. It is concluded that the enactment of a helmet use law resulted in fewer crashes, fatalities, and severe head injuries. (A)
Abstract