Save Your Life! Always Wear Your Bike Helmet!

August 24, 6:29 PMSF Cycling ExaminerMark Loy

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Upon a cursory glance, it was evident the bicycle helmet had saved the cyclist's life.  There were deep abrasion patterns along the top and sides of the hard polycarbonate shell exterior.  The helmet interior foam was severely cracked in three distinct places.  The banged-up bike was far down the road.  The cyclist lay in the middle of the road--stunned, conscious, and acutely aware of pain, sunlight, and friends' voices calling for help, and screaming for cars to stop.  The cyclist's jersey and shorts had melted and torn in the slide across the pavement. 

There would be an ambulance ride, x-rays, MRIs, an overnight hospital stay, and a game of chess between cyclist and friend the next day.  Sore and scared for several weeks afterward, the cyclist went through physical therapy, and a long period of aches and pains below the neck.  The cyclist still rides bikes for the pure joy of it, and now the cyclist only rides bikes with people who wear helmets.  No exceptions.  No excuses.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 1.4 million Americans suffer some type of Traumatic Brain Injury each year.  Of these, approximately 50,000 die.  http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/TBI.htm;

http://www.neuroskills.com/tbi/mtbi.shtml;

http://www.neuroskills.com/tbi/injury.shtml  

According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI), a volunteer-staffed and consumer-funded research institute, www.bhsi.org , there were 773 cycling deaths in the United States in 2006 and 698 cycling deaths in the U.S. in 2007 for a total of 1,471. (No data available for 2008 at this time.)  On average, according to BHSI, 62.5% of bike fatalities are caused by head injuries, and 45-88% of brain injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet.  http://www.bhsi.org/helmet09.htm.  The BHSI has also compiled an index of helmets to help you determine which helmet fits your needs.http://www.bhsi.org/helmet09.htm#index

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) bicycle safety website provides statistics an advice for cyclists regarding helmet use at

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.810acaee50c651189ca8e410dba046a0/

 --------"So, this dog came out of nowhere, hitting my bike broadside. I go over the handlebars, hit the deck hard, and my helmet cracked in three places.  The helmet saved my life.”  -- Graduate Student

Many cyclists are familiar with the sad case from the 1995 Tour de France, when the young and talented rider, Olympic gold medalist Fabio Casartelli died after sustaining massive head trauma in a helmet-less crash on a fast Pyrenees descent during the 15th stage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabio_Casartelli 

 Michel Disteldorf, the French doctor who examined Casartelli's body on behalf of the coroner in Tarbes, said: "There was a small but very violent impact to the top of the skull a few centimetres to the left of the central axis. Contrary to several reports, there were no facial injuries. The impact caused several fractures within the cranium, causing blood to emerge from the nose, ears and mouth." Dr. Disteldorf added that had Casartelli been wearing a hard helmet "some injuries could have been avoided".

  -------"People who don't wear helmets....don't need them." -- old axiom about the stupidity of not wearing a helmet.

Many of these Traumatic Brain Injuries ("TBI"s) Can Be Prevented By Wearing Proper Helmets!

According to the National Council for Injury Prevention, many TBIs can be prevented, if people consistently take precautions and wear helmets during dangerous activities, such as biking: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/Prevention.htm

Cycling Organizations and Racing Associations Now Require Bike Helmets Be Worn

The Tour de France was slow to require helmets, leaving the choice up to riders for several years following the Casartelli's tragic death, but all riders are now required to wear protective helmets at all times during the world's most famous race.  Additionally, the UCI, NORBA, the USOC, and virtually all other cycling organizations require racers to wear helmets meeting certification standards.  In the United States, it is rare to rent a bicycle or ride in any type of fee-based group ride, without being admonished to wear a helmet.  Additionally, a quick examination of the main bicycle websites show all of the riders in competition and at play wearing helmets.  (http://singletrack.competitor.com/; www.bicycling.com; www.velonews.com; cyclingnews.com)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Tests and Certifies Bicycle Helmets in the U.S.A.  www.cpsc.gov   Check Your Helmet for CPSC Sticker.

Due to new regulations, it is illegal for manufacturers or retailers to sell bicycle helmets in the United States unless they meet the standards of the CPSC for bicycle helmet certification, and manufacturers must place a certification sticker inside the helmet.  http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09313.html  (If you happen to purchase a bike helmet certified by Snell Memorial Foundation as "Snell B-95" or "Snell N-94," these are also okay, as they exceed the current CPSC standards.)

Bike Helmets Are Not That Expensive!

-------“If you’ve got a ten dollar head, wear a ten dollar helmet.” -- the late Evel Kenievel, motorcyle stuntman and American icon, in the famous Bell Motorcycle helmet advertisements, circa 1975.

Americans are lucky, even bike helmets sold in discount stores need to meet CPSC standards,* so as long as you see a CPSC sticker inside the bike helmet, the helmet meets the standards for safety.   

Most bike shops and outdoor retailers sell bicycle helmets starting at $30-40, with high-end helmets costing more than $200.  Because of the CPSC standards, the extra money you spend is primarily reflected in color choice, weight, and ventilation.  Usually, the higher-priced helmets have many more vents in them to allow air to flow over that skull of yours.

As producers of millions and millions of bike helmets, and sponsors of famous cyclists and cycling teams, Bell Bike Helmets (a California company) and Giro (an Illinois company) have become the most famous bike helmet manufacturers in the United States.  By going to their corporate helmet websites, consumers can see the full range of styles and prices, before they buy a helmet.  (www.bellbikehelmets.com; www.giro.com) All of the helmets sold by these companies meet the CPSC certification standards, so your head will be safer, no matter how much you pay**. 

Bike helmets need to fit you and be worn properly, in order to protect you from injury.  Bike riders come in all ages, styles, and sizes, and so do heads, so it can be a bit difficult in fitting a helmet if you don't do it very often.  Most bike shop staff members will help if you ask, but it's a very good idea to use the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute checklist at home to make sure you have your helmet properly adjusted, and ready to save you from a ride in the hearse. 

 Helmet Fit is Critical to Protecting Your Head 

1. A helmet should be the right general size.  
2. The straps and interior pads appropriately adjusted for snug fit.  Not loose.  Not tight.  Snug.
3. The helmet should sit level on the wearer’s head, so as to protect the forehead completely. 
4. Like a hat.  Not a bonnet. 
5. The chin strap needs to be adjusted properly, and securely snapped!
6. For more detailed proper helmet fit tips, use the easy checklist on the BHSI website:  http://www.bhsi.org/checklist.htm 

 Bike Helmets Do Not Last Forever

Bike helmets today are better than bike helmets of long ago.  They are light and comfortable, better- ventilated, and offer more protection.  However, the materials of bike helmets are not designed to last forever.  Because of sunlight, sweat, and damage caused by throwing your helmet in your car trunk/closet/tent, etc., bike helmets deteriorate, and need to be replaced regularly.  Manufacturers recommend a new helmet every three years, and many bike shops will tell you to replace your helmet at least every five years.  If you can’t remember when you bought the helmet, replace it now!

------“Just bought a new bike helmet, because my old one was pretty old and grungy--probably had it since the early 1990s.  Just for fun, I hit the old one with a hammer.  It shattered into a million pieces.  Guess it’s good I got a new one when I did.”  Avid cyclist, West Point graduate, husband, and father.

If your helmet protects you in a fall or a crash, replace it immediately, even if there is no noticeable damage.  In a low impact crash, your helmet likely suffered damage you cannot see.  As an incentive, many manufacturers of helmets offer some type of discount or credit for helmet replacement, if you mail your crashed helmet to them.  www.giro.com; www.bellbikehelmets.com.

Children are Especially Prone to Head Injuries While Riding Bikes

Everyone biking should be wearing a bike helmet, but especially children under 16.  Studies have shown that children who crash on their bikes suffer head injuries more often than adults, and suffer worse injuries as a result.  (This can be partly explained by growth and maturity of brain tissue and bone.)  Most states, including California, have mandatory bike helmet laws for children under 16, so get your kids helmets, and be sure they wear them correctly every time they ride bikes.  There are also laws dictating helmets for small children who ride in trailers behind bikes, or in bike seats, too.  

In addition to always wearing helmets when riding, and explaining to kids why helmets are essential to bike riding, there is a web site which provides school teachers with materials to help train children to always wear helmets when they ride.  See http://www.bhsi.org/teachers.htm for more details.

Finally, if none of this convinces you to always wear your helmet, perhaps this old article from VeloNews will convince you to save your life:  http://velonews.com/article/3592 

 _______

*Because there are so many helmet options for so many different activities today, the CPSC includes a list of helmet recommendations for different sports at www.cpsc.gov.

**Of course, no helmet can reduce all risk, so be careful when you ride!