Child Helmet Laws: Cycling is a safe and healthy
activity
- Cycling gives a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger
[1] and a life expectancy 2 years above the average
[2]. The health benefits of cycling far outweigh any risks
involved [8], by a factor of around 20:1 according to one
estimate [3].
- People who cycle regularly live longer than non-cyclists, with a 29% lower
mortality rate and better health throughout their lives. Indeed, cycling
regularly to work (and, by extension, to school) has been shown to be the most
effective thing an individual can do to improve health and increase longevity
[4].
… and the risks of cycling are low
- It takes over 3,000 years of on-road cycling to suffer a serious head
injury, let alone one that might be mitigated by a cycle helmet [5].
- In the UK, child cycling accidents account for only 7.1% of all child head
injury admissions, and 2.4% of all child hospital admissions [6].
- As half of all children have bicycles, this puts risk when cycling into
perspective. Cycling accidents are hardly more likely to result in head injury
than the generality of child accidents. Even in collisions with vehicles,
children suffer over 4 times as many head injuries as pedestrians than when
cycling [6].
- In 2002, there were 2,183 child cyclist admissions with head injuries in
England. 400 - 500 of these might be categorized as serious (i.e. fractures and
intra-cranial injuries). However, it is unclear how many of these might be
mitigated by a helmet, no matter how effective it might be [6].
- Child cyclist head injury rates in the UK have been falling at a rate that
cannot be accounted for by helmet use. For example, they are falling in road
crashes where TRL surveys indicate helmet use has decreased for those most at
risk.
|
The number of children currently at risk of dying prematurely
through obesity and related illnesses is approx 12,000 times those suffering
serious head injury each year through cycling and which might be mitigated by a
helmet that was 100% effective. That ratio is predicted to double by the year
2020 [7] |
References
[1] Tuxworth et al. Health, fitness, physical activity and morbidity
of middle aged male factory workers. Br J Indus Med 1986;
43:733.
[2] Paffenbarger RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL, Hsieh CC. Physical activity, all-cause mortality, and longevity of college alumni. New England Journal of Medicine, 1986;314:605-613 .
[3] Hillman M. Cycling and the promotion of health. Policy Studies, 14 (2), pp.49-58.
[4] Andersen LB, Schnohr P, Schroll M, Hein HO. All-cause mortality associated with physical activity during leisure time, work, sports, and cycling to work. Arch Intern Med, 2000 Jun 12;160(11):1621-8 .
[5] Derived from Transport Statistics Great Britain 2001,
National Travel Survey 1998 - 2000, and
Cook A, Sheikh A. Trends in serious head injuries among cyclists in England: analysis of routinely collected data. BMJ, 2000;321:1055. 
[6] Franklin JA, Chapman G. Quantifying the risk of head injury to child cyclists in England: an analysis of hospital admissions data.
BHRF 2005.
[7] Storing up problems - The medical case for a slimmer nation. Royal College of Physicians. 2004.
[8] Cycling towards health and safety. British Medical Association, 1992. ISBN 0-19-286151-4.
