Abstract
Cycling is a healthy activity for children, but accidents do occur and can result in death or disability. In the UK, around 28 children per year die from cycle injuries and most of these are directly attributable to head injury, and figures for permanent brain injury are around 1,000 children a year. What are the potential benefits of legislation on helmet usage and reduction in injury? Early studies from 1996 showed that helmets reduced the risk of severe brain injury by 74%. Subsequent studies in other countries have confirmed these initial findings, and a meta-analysis using 16 studies by Attewell in 2001 showed clear benefits of helmets in reducing injury including when there has been a motor vehicle impac; a situation that is more likely to lead to serious injury than a fall from a bike. Furthermore, upper and mid facial injuries are reduced by helmet usage and Thompson et al. have demonstrated a protective effect of 65%. Legislation for compulsory wearing of cycle helmets has been introduced in many countries including over one-third of States in USA, with significant reductions in head injury rates and deaths. Initial concerns about a reduction of cycling activity have not been confirmed. There is a good case for continued introduction of legislation to maximise helmet wearing by young cyclists.
Keywords: Cycle helmets, legislation, head injury, education
Current Pediatric Reviews
Title: Cycle Helmets for Children- Education or Enforcement?
Volume: 2 Issue: 1
Author(s): Nicholas P. Mann and Angela Lee
Affiliation:
Keywords: Cycle helmets, legislation, head injury, education
Abstract: Cycling is a healthy activity for children, but accidents do occur and can result in death or disability. In the UK, around 28 children per year die from cycle injuries and most of these are directly attributable to head injury, and figures for permanent brain injury are around 1,000 children a year. What are the potential benefits of legislation on helmet usage and reduction in injury? Early studies from 1996 showed that helmets reduced the risk of severe brain injury by 74%. Subsequent studies in other countries have confirmed these initial findings, and a meta-analysis using 16 studies by Attewell in 2001 showed clear benefits of helmets in reducing injury including when there has been a motor vehicle impac; a situation that is more likely to lead to serious injury than a fall from a bike. Furthermore, upper and mid facial injuries are reduced by helmet usage and Thompson et al. have demonstrated a protective effect of 65%. Legislation for compulsory wearing of cycle helmets has been introduced in many countries including over one-third of States in USA, with significant reductions in head injury rates and deaths. Initial concerns about a reduction of cycling activity have not been confirmed. There is a good case for continued introduction of legislation to maximise helmet wearing by young cyclists.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Mann P. Nicholas and Lee Angela, Cycle Helmets for Children- Education or Enforcement?, Current Pediatric Reviews 2006; 2 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157339606775518359
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157339606775518359 |
Print ISSN 1573-3963 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6336 |
![](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Novel Views and Persisting Challenges
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Recent Updates on Current and Upcoming Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Diseases
Current Pharmaceutical Design Psychobiological Model of Personality: Guidelines for Pharmacotherapy of Personality Disorder
Current Psychopharmacology Chemistry and Health Effects of Bioactive Compounds in Selected Culinary Aromatic Herbs
Current Nutrition & Food Science Prostaglandins and Cyclooxygenases in Glial Cells During Brain Inflammation
Current Drug Targets - Inflammation & Allergy Simvastatin and Other HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors on Brain Cholesterol Levels in Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Near Infrared Optical Technologies to Illuminate the Status of the Neonatal Brain
Current Pediatric Reviews Endothelial Dysfunction, Impaired Endogenous Platelet Inhibition and Platelet Activation in Diabetes and Atherosclerosis
Current Vascular Pharmacology Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Intracerebral Haemorrhagic Stroke
Current Medicinal Chemistry The Vestibulocerebellar Tract in the Human Brain: A Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study
Current Medical Imaging Limiting Functional Deficiency Following Stroke: Exploiting Different Stem Cell Reservoirs
Current Neuropharmacology Microarray Studies in Understanding the Mechanism of Action of Antiepileptic Drugs
Current Psychopharmacology The Potential Therapeutic Role of the HMGB1-TLR Pathway in Epilepsy
Current Drug Targets Treatment of Disorders Characterized by Reversible Airway Obstruction in Childhood: are Anti-cholinergic Agents the Answer?
Current Pharmaceutical Design Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy for Cardio Renal Disorders
Current Pharmaceutical Design Neuroprotective Effects of Ginkgolide B Against Ischemic Stroke: A Review of Current Literature
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry A Critical and Comprehensive Insight on Heme Oxygenase and Related Products Including Carbon Monoxide, Bilirubin, Biliverdin and Ferritin in Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes
Current Pharmaceutical Design Interleukin-1β Receptor Antagonism Prevents Cognitive Impairment Following Experimental Bacterial Meningitis
Current Neurovascular Research Annexins in the Central Nervous System: Are they Neuroprotective or Proapoptotic Agents?
Medicinal Chemistry Reviews - Online (Discontinued) Repulsive Apoptosis During Exposure of Mesencephalic Neural Stem Cells to Silver Nanoparticles in a Neurosphere Assay In Vitro
Current Drug Discovery Technologies