Bicycle Safety
"Helmets aren't just for children!"
Why Do You Need A Bicycle Helmet?
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute Statistics:
There are 85 million bicycle riders in the US.
About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized:
1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury.
A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 percent.
Many years of potential life are lost because about half of the deaths are children under 15 years old.
Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year.
Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year.
Death for male Bicyclist Ages 20-54 have substantially increased in recent years.
A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 percent.
Many years of potential life are lost because about half of the deaths are children under 15 years old.
Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year.
Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year.
Death for male Bicyclist Ages 20-54 have substantially increased in recent years.
What Can Happen to Your Head in an Accident?
In a severe bicycle accident, your skull may be fractured or penetrating objects and bone fragments could tear your brain. On the other hand, your brain may also be injured by violent impacts that leave your skull essentially undamaged. Most brain injuries are irreversible.
The source of all these injuries is impact. When you head makes a sudden, violent impact with something unyielding, the small part of your head that is hit stops moving immediately, but the rest of our head remains in motion. As a result, your brain and skull may beak and tear before they can stop moving.
Elements of a Good Helmet
Good helmets protect your head by giving your skull and brain a little time to match speeds with suddenly encountered objects.
The outer plastic shell, when present, adds load-spreading capacity and prevents objects from penetrating the helmet and causing injury to the head. The main body of the helmet has ventilation holes and is made of dense, crushable material that distributes and absorbs the energy of am impact.
During an impact, your head actually crushes the helmet. Your brain hereby gains a little extra time and distance to slow down. As the helmet is crushed, it applies sufficient force to slow your head to a relatively gentile stop rather than the potential lethal levels of force your head would sustain without a helmet.
To ensure a comfortable and snug fit, your helmet may be lined on the inside with comfort padding.
The chinstrap is also very important. In the event of a crash, it must keep the helmet on your head so that you remain protected. It must be strong, comfortable to wear, and well fitting. It should be buckled securely and snugly at all times.
Finding a Good Helmet
There are many good helmets on the market today. The easiest way to find a well-made and reliable helmet is to look for certification sticker on the inside of the helmet.
Wear Your Helmet Correctly
- Make Sure Your Helmet Fits Your Head
- Try the helmet on before you buy it
- Adjust the chinstrap firmly but comfortably
- If simple hand pressure shifts or tilts a helmet significantly on your head, try another helmet size of design.
- Wear it every time you bicycle
- Wear it low on your forehead just above your eyebrows
- Always fasten the chinstrap firmly
Read and Follow All Directions Carefully
- Only use manufacturer approved decoration and cleaners
- Replace your helmet if it has been damaged
- Replace your helmet at least every 5 years
Bicycling and Helmet Safety
Bicycling is not just for young children and teenagers. It is a popular fitness activity for health conscious adults and provides an alternative means of commuting for the environmentally aware. However, bicycling without a helmet can lead to serious head injuries. Without a helmet the fall from the bike to the ground can even kill you. For this reason, a helmet is essential and a certified helmet can greatly reduce your chance of head injury.
