Bicycle helmets save lives

[CDNSushi]

There are some really weird quack-statistics circulating around the Internet these days that say bike helmets are not effective or do not save lives... That's just B.S. and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I felt compelled to share this with you all...

At the junior high school where I work, we have had two serious accidents involving our students on bicycles. Two weeks ago, a couple of Gr. 8 girls (14 years old) were doubling on a bicycle and crashed. One of the girls suffered massive head trauma, was rushed to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on her brain. The doctors wen't sure whether she would even make it at all. She was in a coma for several days before finally being well enough to be moved out of the ICU. Neither girl was wearing a helmet.

This morning, another one of our students, a grade 7 student (13 years old) was biking to school when she was struck by a car who did not see her at a crosswalk. This is a picture of the car's windshield.



The girl literally smashed her head through the glass, hitting the car head first. But here's the kicker. The girl was 100% alright and walked away from the accident without any injury. Why? She was wearing a helmet.

Folks, please tell your kids to not only wear the helmets when they ride their bikes -- but make sure they fit properly and that they do up the chin strap. Many kids seem to ride with the chin straps dangling loose "just to obey" mom & dad or their teachers… But that doesn't do any good to save them in a crash.

No one thinks it will ever happen to them or to someone they love! Think again. This isn't just a PSA on TV. This isn't some unknown nameless, faceless person banging on about safety because they lost a loved one. This is MY own, personal experience, with MY students, in MY city… The only way this could hit closer to home is if it were a member of my own family.

[kc8ufv]

I'll echo these sentiments, CDNsushi. I personally have come very close to loosing my life, or having a very different life as a result of a bike accident when I was in HS. Luckily, in my case, the bone that broke didn't move. Though, I'm not certain a helmet would have helped, it certainly wouldn't have hurt. (I don't recall the accident at all, what has been pieced together is I hit the shifter on my handle bar. I had a gigantic black eye for a couple months, so bad, I couldn't even use my left eye for a couple weeks). I might even go as far as to suggest some type of eye protection. If anything, it'll help keep the bugs from being as annoying when they hit you in the face at 15-20mph.

Sorry, I don't have the impressive pics CDNsushi has, I tried avoiding cameras as much as I could around then.

[CopperNGold]

CDNSushi, Thanks for giving us a very heart-felt reminder to protect our children. Yes, bicycle helmets save lives, and you provided the proof. Thanks!

[madmacs]

I'll throw a plug in here for http://www.nutcasehelmets.com/en/site just in case you have to convince them that helmets are cool...

Have the union jack one myself and the fighter pilot one (not sure if the still make that one though)

[Paul Henry]

For another take on this, read thishttp://www.cyclehelmets.org/1012.html
I'm not making less of any accident or injury howsoever it was caused , but the case that helments save lives isn't proven.
In the UK there are numerous cases that show that those who do wear helmets are usually more likely to take more risks, giving the ridder a false sense of security.

[CDNSushi]

For another take on this, read thishttp://www.cyclehelmets.org/1012.html
I'm not making less of any accident or injury howsoever it was caused , but the case that helments save lives isn't proven.
In the UK there are numerous cases that show that those who do wear helmets are usually more likely to take more risks, giving the ridder a false sense of security.

That's exactly the type of junk statistics I referred to in my initial post... You can use statistics to prove anything. But I dare anyone to tell this girl that went through the windshield that "statistics show you would have been better off without your helmet." Enough said.

[Paul Henry]

That's exactly the type of junk statistics I referred to in my initial post... You can use statistics to prove anything. But I dare anyone to tell this girl that went through the windshield that "statistics show you would have been better off without your helmet." Enough said.

AS you say statistics can prove anything,and that goes both ways,
even to your comments. I'm fairly certain the BBC would normally be imagined not to be providing junk statistics
BBC report

There will always be two sides to any debate, and I'm just offering another point, backed up by sources I believe to be at the very least reasonable.
When I first came to London 30 years ago I learned to cycle on the busy streets, I'd never been allowed a bike as a child in the country, and there was hardly a helmet to be seen then,somehow I've managed to survive without serious injury, I'm very fortunate, but I'm not alone.

[Mipi]

I would say proper (good quality) helmet is giving you more chances to avoid serious head injurious.

Regarding false sense of security.. it's the same thing as with all security add -ons in your car. Security engineers are frustrated with the fact that their work is not giving better results, because drivers are relaying on ABC, ESP...and other safety features in modern cars and driving faster, breaking later, driving with less safety distance. But that doesn't change the fact that modern cars are much safer then they used to be.

Mipi

[Oddern]

I always say to my kids, and others, that you have to be pretty boneheaded to not wearing a helmet when cycling.
Skål!

[Father Bill]

The question isn't whether riders think they're safer and do dumb things. That means to me that they don't think at all. If they did, they'd both wear the helmet and continue to ride carefully. I don't like doing unneccessary funerals for young people.