Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
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Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
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I thought I'd rekindle this old discussion in light of Bradley Wiggins' comments that cycle helmets should be made compulsory after an official Olympics bus knocked over and killed a cyclist. http://w
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Forums » Off duty » News & media » Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 4/8/2012 7:40 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 43
First: 10/2/2010 Last: 5/11/2012 |
I'm a regular London cycle commuter, and I always wear a helmet, even though the strength of the evidence seems a bit weak. (According to the Cochrane review, the case-control studies consistently show a protective effect vs head & face injuries, but there are no randomised controlled trials, and they give no estimates of the effect on overall mortality http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1465858.CD001855/abstract). The most important thing for my safety remains, however, not the helmet, nor the reflective gear, nor even the lights (required by law, btw), but simply riding safely and sensibly. I'm not convinced by the case for mandatory helmet legislation, however. Too often, there seems to have been a drop-off in the uptake of cycling following such legislation, and with fewer cyclists on the road, the ones who are left tend to be less safe (as would appear to have happened in New Zealand, for instance http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22327159). What I'm much more convinced of is the case for better cycle path provision. Where the cycle path is clearly separate from the road, everyone is safer. Also, subjectively, some, if by no means all, of the new cycle superhighways that have been installed in London make a very refreshing change from the more dangerous territory of the roads themselves. (Others could have been better designed). |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 5/8/2012 7:33 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 43
First: 10/2/2010 Last: 5/11/2012 |
"Surely the cycling helmets be made compulsory as are for the motor-bikes, to at least minimize the injury." That's what I used to think... but given the evidence for a protective effect of increased numbers of cyclists (see, for instance, the graph under "Safety in Numbers" here http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/2636/cycling/stats-uk/ for the evidence for correlation, and the previous paper I posted on NZ for the evidence on temporality), you really don't want to put people off cycling in order to reduce the size of the minority who don't wear helmets. Especially as a bicycle helmet is, of necessity, a rather less protective thing than a motorcycle helmet (you don't want to overheat while undergoing muscular exertion, so they have to be more lightweight and less all-encompassing). And especially as cycling has other health benefits, since exercise protects against death and disability, while also being less dangerous per km than motorcycling.
See here for more arguments on this topic: http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/298/commuting/should-cycle-helmets-be-made-compulsory/ |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 5/8/2012 9:45 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2047
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
As it happens, I had just this conversation with my colleague in the Aquatic Centre Emergency Room, yesterday. He is a chronic cycling commuter, and urged me to wear a helmet for my Olympic commute. He gave several personal examples of incidents where he beleived that his helmet saved him from serious injury, including falling asleep on his bike riding home after an especially long and arduous shift in A&E, that put him back in his own A&E! He also pointed out that Le Wiggo called for iPods and earphones to be banned while cycling, as distracting and deafening the rider. He had a further point, that all the studies and reviews have a bias, in that a helmet wearer is less likely to need medical assistance and so accidents where one is worn is less likely to be counted in the 'helmet group'. Only more serious accidents will be included, causing the trend towards the 'helmets cause injury' argument. He convinced me that if I do continue to ride more than I have before, I will get a helmet. We discussed choice, as the same problem arises as does in motorsport helmets, that I would not race without. They are compulsory, anyway. But there is an enormous price range in either type of helmet, the most expensive costing at least ten times the cheapest. If the cheapest will pass the necessary British or other Standard, is there any extra safety in going for a more expensive item? John |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 3:43 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 38
First: 23/10/2009 Last: 9/10/2012 |
In Response to Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?: Surely the issue should be that Olympic busses shouldn't crash into cyclists. Cycle helmets are only safe at impacts of up to 20mph from a height of about 1.5m, its not going to make a lot of difference if you're crushed by a speeding vehicle. The best way of stopping any injuries on the road is to lower speed limits, and teach drivers that they're not the only ones using the roads. Another issue with cycle helmets is that they restrict vision, I wear glasses, and find it almost imposible to see behind me when wearing a cycle helmet. I could buy a better designed one, but no doubt without the cash to spend it'd be just as uncomfortable and annoying. As for going through stop lights, in some circumstances I'd argue this is the safest option, there have been many occations where I have been pushed into the curb, forced to brake hard or turn sharply to get away from vehicles turning into me, usually white vans! I have a theory about them. I have even been hit once, climbing over someones bonnet so as not to become road kill. |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 4:53 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 134
First: 25/5/2011 Last: 17/5/2013 |
It appears that they already are compulsory in The Highway Code rule 59. www.direct.gov.uk/en/travelandtransport/highwaycode/dg_069837 Under rules for cyclists. 59Clothing. You should wear
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 6:17 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1
First: 7/8/2012 Last: 7/8/2012 |
My problem with the evidence is that minor accidents are not reported. For example my husband was cycling to work a couple of winrters ago and slipped on black ice. His head hit the curb leaving a very large 'v'' shaped dent in his cycle helmet and one side of his face was nicely 'sandpapered' by the road surface. He picked himself up - and as he was nearly at work - continued on his journey. A little shocked and shaken he cleaned himself up and was fine. So this incident featues on no statistics yet if he hadn't been wearing a helmet I think the outcome would have been very different. So i am in favour of cycle helmets being compulsory - I am also old enough to rmember many of the same arguments being used against motorcycle helmets...but would we consider going back to those not being compulsory? I do have a pet hate though - parents perching cycle helmets on the back of children's heads rather than being properly fitted. |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 9:10 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 24
First: 19/11/2010 Last: 7/8/2012 |
A couple of comments I have a patient who was told that when he lost control & hit a solid wall straight on that the helmet saved his life despite a blow out fracture . Another patient was killed recently in bike accident . Trunk & neck wide spread #s but head only scalp laceration ,did helmet prevent thatb ?? We need proper scientific 'Dummy' tests or has HMG eith sold or closed the unit which carries them out ???????????????????/ |
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 10:33 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1178
First: 19/4/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
I don't think we need extensive studies, do we? Wearing protection around your noggin whilst cycling is going to be better than not wearing protection. Whether making it compulsory puts people off cycling because they don't want to wear a helmet? Their choice. It's a daft choice not to, if you ask me, but it's their choice. And them not wearing a helmet is unlikely to kill someone else (unlike not wearing a seatbelt in a car). I have just been cycling in the French Alps. I reached 75.6kph on the descent of the Col De La Croix De Fer. We were overtaking cars and motorbikes. I completely accept that at that speed I could have done with a full face crash helmet. I certainly wouldn't have done it without a helmet. Regarding the cost and the differentials - I paid a lot of money for my Specialized Prevail S-Works, but it's light (230g) and *very* well ventilated to keep me cool whilst climbing Alp D''Huez. The bottom of the range Specialzed one offers the same protection, but I'd get very sweaty....
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Re: Should cycling helmets be made compulsory?
posted at 7/8/2012 11:40 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2047
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Adrian, Most of the Highway Code is advisory, not statute. (Kirked will discriminate) As kirked will explain, in a court, failure to comply will discriminate against a person's case, but a statement in the HC is not The Law. John |
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