Study bicycle helmet can decide about life and death

Wearing a helmet can protect against life-threatening injuries
If you do not wear a cycling helmet, you risk serious head injuries in the event of an accident. Therefore, a helmet is discussed for a long time. Now, a study from the US has confirmed that a helmet in the event of a crash can actually mean the difference between life and death.

Many feel the head protection as unpleasant
The ghosts differ on the subject of "cycling helmets": While the supporters naturally wear one out of fear of serious injuries, other cyclists find the helmet uncomfortable and annoying. But whether for or against - safety certainly offers a helmet in any case. As researchers from the University of Arizona have been able to show through a study, cyclists with helmets are significantly less affected by severe head injuries than those without protection. Ansab Haider's team presented the results at a congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Bicycle helmets can save lives in a fall. (Image: arborpulchra / fotolia.com)

For their research, the scientists evaluated the data of a total of 6,267 patients who had brain trauma from an accident with the wheel. They came to the conclusion that the risk of severe brain trauma, as well as the fatal outcome of the accident among cyclists, was about 60 percent lower than that of those without head protection. This also applies to injuries that require the opening of the skull due to brain swelling, according to a recent press release by the ACS. In addition, the risk of facial fractures was 26 percent lower when wearing a helmet.

Under-20s are the least likely to wear a helmet
"We know for sure that helmets can prevent injuries in wheel accidents. But the important question was: If you get into a bicycle accident and it comes to a head injury, how much does the helmet then protect? "Said the scientist Ansab Haider according to the statement of the ACS. The researchers found the answer by evaluating the patient data: "Looking at the group of those with brain injury, the helmet really made the difference," added author Bellal Joseph. Because of these, only a quarter of them had worn a helmet, especially the younger were often without head protection on the way.

"The lowest incidence of wearing helmets was in the age group 10-20 years old. But with every other decade, the probability of using a helmet increased, "explains Haider. Now, the next step is, among other things, to make better helmets and to develop and enforce stricter laws for helmet use. "That's what future efforts need to focus on - making helmets that really make a difference," Dr. Bellal Joseph.

Is a helmet mandatory also in Germany?
Should there be a helmet obligation in this country in view of these results? This issue has long been controversial, but the German government has no plans at present. As the news agency "dpa" reports, consider e.g. the German traffic guard and the general German bicycle club (ADFC) a helmet generally as "meaningful". But the ADFC opposes itself at the same time against a helmet obligation, since it "neither enforce nor control" was. Because this "would [.] Drastically reduce the use of bicycles and thus increase car traffic. This is neither environmental nor health policy to answer for, "said the association in a statement on its website.

The Hannelore Kohl Foundation came to the conclusion that 80 percent of serious brain injuries would be prevented by helmets, the news agency continues. But not everyone shares this opinion. Instead, the ADFC was to achieve "a general reduction in the risk of accidents for cyclists primarily by a cyclist-friendly traffic planning". In addition, e.g. low car speeds in inhabited areas significantly reduce the severity of accident consequences, the association continued. (No)