Cycle helmets are a far more complex issue than is often supposed. We have selected some key information resources that give a good introduction to the issues.
Suggested reading
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Cycling UK briefing
- Policy statement by Cycling UK. Includes a summary as well as a more detailed survey of the evidence.
- According to Cycling UK, “cycle helmet laws and … helmet promotion campaigns … are almost certainly detrimental to public health”
- “there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of helmets…Some evidence suggests they may in fact increase the risk of cyclists having falls or collisions”
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The big bike helmet debate: ‘You don’t make it safe by forcing cyclists to dress for urban warfare’.
- Article by Guardian journalist Peter Walker. He covers topics which include: why medical professionals are divided; the importance of psychological effects
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Bicycle helmets and the law Ben Goldacre and David Spiegelhalter, British Medical Journal, 2013.
- Discusses mandatory helmet laws and why they fail to reduce rates of injury in practice
- “Canadian legislation had minimal effect on serious head injuries”
Also of interest
- Cycle helmets – an overview. Very comprehensive summary of the issues provided by the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation.
- Should schools insist on helmets? Newsletter article by a campaign member
- Why forcing cyclists to wear helmets will not save lives – video explainer with Peter Walker of the Guardian
- cyclingfallacies.com Includes a list of web resources
- Ski Helmet Use Isn’t Reducing Brain Injuries (New York Times)
- Hierarchy of hazard controls (Wikipedia)
Cambridge Cycling Campaign policy
The Campaign passed the following motion at the 2012 AGM:
“Cambridge Cycling Campaign supports all cyclists as they go about their lawful business on the public road. We note that the law does not require helmets or high visibility clothing. The image of cyclists presented to the public has become so strongly skewed towards riders wearing those items that the legitimacy and status of those who do not wear them is being undermined. In order to help restore the balance the campaign reserves the right to decline to promote events or activities where helmets or high visibility clothing are required or implied.”
Reference material (academic)
- No clear evidence from countries that have enforced the wearing of helmets D.L. Robinson (BMJ, 2006)
- Head injuries and bicycle helmet laws D.L. Robinson (Accident Analysis & Prevention, 1996)
- Exposure measurement in bicycle safety analysis: A review of the literature Jef Vanparijs, Luc Int Panis, Romain Meeusen, Bas de Geus, (Accident Analysis & Prevention, 2015)
- Evaluation of New Zealand’s bicycle helmet law (New Zealand Medical Journal, 2012)
- Severe street and mountain bicycling injuries in adults: a comparison of the incidence, risk factors and injury patterns over 14 years (Canadian Journal of Surgery, 2013)
- Publication bias and time-trend bias in meta-analysis of bicycle helmet efficacy: A re-analysis of Attewell, Glase and McFadden, 2001 (Elvik, Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2011)
- Risk Compensation and Bicycle Helmets (Phillips, Fyhri, and Sagberg, Risk Analysis, 2011)
- Bicycle helmets and the law (Ben Goldacre and David Spiegelhalter, BMJ, 2013)
- Helmet legislation and admissions to hospital for cycling related head injuries in Canadian provinces and territories: interrupted time series analysis (BMJ, 2013)
Other resources
- www.cycle-helmets.com- research on the situation in Western Australia
- Mandatory bicycle helmet law in New Zealand (cyclehelmets.com)
- “Aussie helmet law does more harm than good, Senate hears” (road.cc)
- Cyclists Rights Action Group (CRAG)
- Review of the Henderson report (CRAG, 2010)
- Bicycle Helmets – A review of their effectiveness (UK Government) [PDF]
- Bicycle Helmet Effectiveness – a broader perspective (critique of Government report) [PDF]
- Cycle helmets: a summary of research
- Bicycle helmets in Australia
- An interview with Mayer Hillman about road safety
- Cycle helmets, the case for and against Mayer Hillman (Policy Studies Institute, 1993)
- Bicycle helmet FAQ
- The effectiveness of cycle helmets, by John Franklin [PDF]
- Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute