Helmet benefits not controversial

Letter to the Editor

By: William Lowe | Albemarle County
Published: May 27, 2011

The coverage by the Daily Progress of the discussion at the City Council meeting of May 16 (“City moves off helmet decision,” May 18) gave the impression that the benefit of wearing a helmet while cycling is controversial. This is definitely not the case; a considerable amount of medical research has been published over the past several decades which shows the effectiveness of helmets in reducing head injuries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, around 800 people die and over 500,000 are treated in emergency departments every year in the United States for injuries related to bicycling. Head injuries account for 33 percent of bicycle-related emergency department visits, 67 percent of bicycle-related hospital admissions, and 62 percent of bicycle-related deaths. More than one-third of bicycle-related injuries occur in children. For comparison, the annual number of bicycle-related injuries is roughly the same as the number of basketball injuries.

Bicycle helmets have consistently been shown to reduce head injuries by between 63 and 88 percent. When the statistics from all published studies are combined, they show that wearing a helmet does in fact reduce the risk of head or brain injury by two-thirds or more. A quick web search will turn up any number of major national organizations who formally support the use of helmets for all cyclists whenever and wherever they ride. These include, among others, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Most also specifically support local and state laws encouraging or requiring the use of helmets.

Recognizing the value of helmets does not necessarily mean we should legally require their use; that is a separate question on which reasonable people can disagree. However, there is little doubt that helmets, when properly designed and worn, reduce the rate of head and brain injuries in both children and adults.