Why Should Children Wear Bicycle Helmets?

Bicycle helmets are an important safety item for children.

Bicycle helmets are a basic piece of safety equipment, and all riders, especially children, should wear one while riding. In fact, many states and localities now mandate that bicycle riders wear helmets. Numerous studies have shown that helmets are very effective in reducing the severity of head injuries in bicycle accidents, which is especially important with children who are naturally more susceptible to head and brain injuries.

Importance of Bicycle Helmets

Several decades of research and dozens of studies have conclusively demonstrated the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle. While no substitute for safe, responsible bicycling, a good helmet not only protects from impact and blunt trauma, but also offers protection from penetration by sharp objects or corners. A well-designed helmet also offers some protection to the neck and upper spine as it prevents or minimizes whiplash.

BIcycle Helmet Statistics

Some sobering statistics from the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute bring home the importance of bicycle helmet use in children:<br /><br />In 2000, 62.6 percent of cycling deaths that resulted from head injuries were in children and youths under 19 years old<br />GO<br />Children and youths under the age of 15 represented 53 percent of all bicycle injuries requiring hospital visits in 2005<br />GO<br />Up to 80 percent of fatal bike injuries and up to 75 percent of disabling injuries could be prevented by wearing helmets.

Laws About Bicycle Helmets

Laws regulating the wearing of bicycle helmets are now on the books in over 22 states and almost 200 municipalities, and many of these laws specifically mandate the use of helmets for children under the age of 16.

Types of Bicycle Helmets

There are two types of CPSC (Consumer Products Safety Commission) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approved bicycle helmets--hard shell helmets and soft/micro shell helmets. Hard shell helmets have been largely supplanted by the more comfortable and (almost) equally protective soft/micro shell, which weighs less and allows more ventilation. Hard shell helmets, however, are still popular among BMX bikers, skateboarders and inline skaters. The last few years have also seen a trend toward carbon fiber reinforcement in more advanced (and expensive) helmets.<br /><br />There are dozens of models of bicycle helmets of different sizes and fits. Children's and toddler's helmets are required to have extra protection for the back of the neck. There has also been a notable trend in the last few years towards decorating helmets with children's themes, cartoons or marketing tie-ins, which has resulted in greater voluntary compliance in helmet wearing among children.

Children and Bicycle Helmets

According to Trails.com well over $1 billion is spent every year in medical expenses associated with bicycle injuries in youths under age 19, so the savings to society from universal helmet wearing would be significant.

References

• Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: Helmet Laws for Bicycle Riders
• Consumer Search: Bicycle Helmets
• Trails: Why Should Children Wear Bicycle Helmets?
• Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: Bicycle Helmet Types

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish