Brain Injury Prevention - Why Wear a Helmet?

Posted on March 18, 2005 by LexBlog

The following information obtained from the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire truly demonstrates the value of using, and encouraging the use of, bicycle helmets:

  • Bike accidents crash-land more children in hospital
    emergency rooms than any other in hospital emergency
    rooms than any other sport.

  • In fact, kids ages 5 to 14 get hurt more often often
    than bikers of any age.


  • Every day,about 1,000 kids end up in emergency rooms
    with injuries from bikes.


  • Riders with helmets have an 88 percent reduction in
    their risk of brain injury.


  • One in eight cyclists injured has a brain injury.

  • Ninety percent of bicyclists killed in 2000 reportedly
    weren't wearing helmets.


  • In a national survey of children ages 8 to 12,
    nearly half (49%) reported that they would wear a helmet
    if a state or community required it.


  • The estimated cost of bicycle related injuries and deaths
    for all ages is $8 billion.


  • The lifetime costs to the State of New Hampshire for
    one person surviving a severe TBI can reach $4 million.


    • Information Sources: 1. National Safe Kids Campaign 1. National Safe Kids Campaign 2. Consumer Product Safety Commission 2. Consumer Product Safety Commission 3. Thompson, R., Rivara, F., & Thompson, D., 3. Thompson, R., Rivara, F., & Thompson, D., A Case-Control Study of the Effectiveness of A Case-Control Study of the Effectiveness of Bicycle Safety Helmets, New England Journal of Bicycle Safety Helmets, New England Journal of Medicine-May 25, 1998 Medicine-May 25, 1998 4. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute 4. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute 5. United States Department of Transportation's 5. United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) State Legislative Fact Sheet 2000 (NHTSA) State Legislative Fact Sheet 2000 6. United States Department of Transportation's 6. United States Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System Fatality Analysis Reporting System 7. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 7. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (1989, February) Interagency Head Injury Task Force Report (1989, February) Interagency Head Injury Task Force Report

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