You’ll probably know that one of the most heated, angry debates in Australia isn’t about climate change or immigration or the collapse of capitalism, but bike helmets. This country is one of the few jurisdictions in which bike helmets are totally mandatory – with the threat of fines – and it tends to make people pretty furious.
And hey! There are strong valid reasons why you might be opposed. People haaaate wearing bike helmets, and if we want to go towards a green future, something that stops people riding bikes should maybe give us pause for thought. That being said, helmets are really good at making sure our heads don’t explode when we fall off at high speeds.
That’s exactly what a new, comprehensive study has proven. A review of 64,000 injured cyclists has proven that helmets reduce the chances of serious head injury by 70%.
The study, by University of New South Wales statistician Dr. Jake Olivier, also found that claims bike helmets actually cause injuries to the head and neck were not true.
“This study emphatically proves that bicycle helmets are efficacious in reducing brain trauma in either single-vehicle falls or impact with other vehicles,” said Raphael Grzebieta, professor of road safety at UNSW. Grzebieta claims that opponents of mandatory helmet laws have used “crazy science” to oppose them.
There you go. If you hate bike helmet laws, you might need to take a different tack. It’s still a legitimate position, but you’re best arguing whether it is even agreeable that the state should enforce that kind of measure (NANNY STATE!) than the fact that helmets don’t work, because it’s pretty clear they do.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
Photo: Toronto Star.
