Why Should I Wear a Bike Helmet?

Understanding the importance of wearing a helmet and having a properly fitting helmet could save you from a life-threatening, or serious head injury.

Do Bike Helmets Make a Difference?

Head trauma is the most common injury in bike accidents. By wearing a bike helmet, you can protect your head if you fall or crash. A study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that wearing a bike helmet can:

• Reduce head injury by 48%.
• Reduce serious head injury by 60%.
• Reduce traumatic brain injury by 53%
• Reduce face injury by 23%.
• Reduce the total number of people killed or seriously injured by 34%.

“I’ve seen patients of all ages come in for brain injuries that could have been completely avoided if they were wearing a helmet while biking,” mentioned Faith Regional Physician Services’ Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, Dr. Mahmut Kaner.

How Helmets Work

Bike helmets work to prevent traumatic brain injuries by distributing the force of impact over the surface of the helmet instead of concentrating the force to one part of the head. Helmets are composed of two main parts, the hard exterior shell, and the thick foam interior.

The hard exterior of the helmet allows your head to skid across the ground in an accident without jerking your neck while the foam interior works as a cushion to your head when impact occurs. These two parts of the helmet help reduce the amount of force that collides with your head. Some injuries that can be prevented by wearing a helmet include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Cracked skulls
• Severe concussions
• Facial injuries
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries

Picking the Right Helmet

If you have been in a crash, it is important to replace your helmet because damage to the shell or interior parts will decrease the level of protection you are receiving.

When you are picking a helmet for yourself or a family member, comfort is key. You, your child, and your spouse will be more likely to regularly wear a bike helmet if it is comfortable. A perfectly fitted helmet should be:

• Snug. It does not slide from side-to-side or front-to-back.
• Level. It is square on top of your head, covering the top of the forehead. It does not tilt in any direction.
• Stable. The chinstrap keeps the helmet from rocking in any direction. Replace chinstraps if any part of the buckle breaks. Otherwise, a helmet may fly off in an accident.

Sources: Dr. Mahmut Kaner, nih.gov, hopkinsmedicine.org, clevelandclinic.org, mercyone.org, orthoinfo.aaos.org