Bicycle Helmets: Systematic Reviews on Legislation, Effects of Legislation on Cycling Exposure, and Risk Compensation

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March 6th, 2019

Cycling has been shown to have health and environmental benefits, but there are also inherent risks including serious and fatal injury. Head injuries are common among cycling hospitalisations and fatalities, and bicycle helmets have been designed to mitigate head injuries in a crash or fall. Biomechanical and epidemiological evidence suggests wearing a bicycle helmet substantially reduces the risk and odds of head and face injury of any
severity, serious head injury, and fatal head injury.

Bicycle helmet legislation (BHL) has been introduced in many jurisdictions to increase helmet wearing among cyclists. Past studies indicate BHL is associated with increased helmet wearing and reductions in cycling head injury.