The introduction of a helmet for cyclists in New South Wales has had the desired effect, reducing head injuries by almost one-third. The findings of Australian researchers are reported by News In science.
Australia was the first country in 1991 to introduce a law requiring cyclists to wear protective helmets. However, this necessity was the subject of many years of heated discussions. They flared up again last year, when prof. Chris Rissel from the University of Sydney announced that, although in one of the states of Australia – New South Wales – cyclists experience less head injuries, this is due not so much to the obligation to better protect, but to e.g. overall road safety improvement. Soon after, its publication was withdrawn as others pointed out errors in the figures quoted.
Now, critics of Rissel, scientists from the University of New South Wales and the Sax Institute have announced their own research. They found that from just before the introduction of the mandatory helmet law for cyclists – until shortly after – in New South Wales, the incidence of head injuries among cyclists had decreased by 29%.
Apparently, this is due to the legal obligation to wear helmets. The recipe was introduced to reduce head injuries, and this is what it did, says Dr. Jake Olivier, who led the study.
In their work, scientists analyzed the scale of injuries to the heads, arms and legs of cyclists from the time before the regulation was in force. They later compared the results with a scale of similar injuries after the order was issued. They also checked how often similar accidents happened to pedestrians at the same time. The results of the analyzes made it possible to conclude that the improvement of cyclists’ safety does not result from the better situation on the roads.
Prof. Chris Rissel criticizes these results, arguing that the obligation to wear helmets should be waived as it causes more harm than good. In his opinion, since the law entered into force, the number of people using bicycles has decreased – perhaps they are discouraged by the need to wear a helmet. In fact, the health benefits of being physically active for more people riding the bike outweigh the risk of injury, he says. – And if people do not ride because they are limited by the law requiring them to wear helmets, it is difficult to count on them suddenly taking up other activities. (PAP)