Samenvatting
Bicycle helmets are an effective way to prevent mortality and morbidity from bicycle crash-related head injuries. In spite of their documented effectiveness, only about 18% of cyclists in the United States wear helmets. Educational strategies including school education programs, subsidies, and community activities have been used in to increase helmet use. They have had moderate results. In 1990, Victoria, Australia implemented legislation to require that all cyclists wear helmets. Helmet use amomg cyclists immediately increased from 38% to 78%. The effectiveness of laws requiring helmets is compared with other strategies designed to increase helmet use and the impact these laws have had on injuries and bicycle ridership is examined.