Bicycle Helmets
RELATED TOPICS: Health, Safety Communications, Youth Safety and Mobility, Older Adult Safety and Mobility
Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of severe injuries and fatalities and should be worn by all bicycle riders, and usage should not be determined by age, ability, or bicycle trip duration or purpose. A recent study on the safety effects of bicycle helmets suggests that wearing a helmet when bicycling is highly recommended. The use of bicycle helmets was found to reduce head injury by 48%, serious head injury by 60%, traumatic brain injury by 53%, and the total number of killed or seriously injured bicyclists by 34%.
Most bicycle and health advocacy organizations strongly encourage the use of bicycle helmets and recommend that helmets are properly fitted to the rider and meet the bicycle helmet standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Society of Testing and Materials, or the Snell Memorial Foundation. Although there is no federal law in the United States requiring bicycling helmets, a number of states and localities have passed mandatory helmet requirement laws and these vary by age.
Resources
Bicycle Safer Journey
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Helps educators, parents, and others who care about bicycle safety, including helmets, start the conversation with children and youth and provides videos, resources, and quizzes.
Bike Helmet Laws
The League of American Bicyclists
States organization position to encourage bicyclists to wear helmets and offers best practices and example State bicyclist helmet laws.
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
Helmets.org
Provides information about statistics and laws relating to helmets as well as standards and manufacturers.
Fitting Your Bike Helmet
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Provides a step-by-step guide for proper helmet fit.
Countermeasures That Work, 11th edition
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Provides an overview of behavioral strategies and countermeasures in road safety topic areas and provides resources for a deeper look.
More Resources >
Examples
NCDOT Bicycle Helmet Initiative
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Awards helmets to eligible government and nonprofit agencies to promote bicycle safety.
Ideas to Promote Bicycle Safety
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Offers educational materials to reinforce safety messages and behaviors.
Demonstration of Promising Practices to Increase Proper Bicycle Helmet Use in Middle School Youth
Center for Education and Research in Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Shares behavioral strategies to increase the helmet use of middle school children.
