A new scientific report has examined meta-analyses on bicycle helmet effectiveness and confirmed that wearing a helmet is beneficial.
The report, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature, explored findings from studies that employed meta-analyses using bicycle crash data, laboratory simulation research and methodological papers addressing the factors that contribute to injury severity. From the results of the 10 included studies, the authors concluded that wearing a helmet while cycling is beneficial regardless of age, crash severity, or crash type. The report also highlights that results from lab testing suggest that the shape and size of the head itself plays a role in the protective effects of helmets.
Debates around cycle helmet usage such as risk compensation theory and the impact of cycle helmet legislation decreasing cyclists are addressed, while questions around societal and cultural contexts are also discussed.
To read the report (available via Open Access), visit www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-35728-x.
Reference: Büth, Barbour & Abdel-Aty (2023). Effectiveness of bicycle helmets and injury prevention: a systematic review of meta-analyses, Nature Scientific Reports, 13, Article number: 8540.
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