Bike accidents or falls can cause serious injuries, particularly to the head. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2008 that nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries, but only 20 to 25 percent of bicyclists wear helmets. While it is impossible to prevent all head injuries, regular use of bicycle helmets, combined with an understanding of bicycle safety rules, can greatly reduce these injuries.
Head Injuries
Lacerations, bruises, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries can occur if there is a blow to the head. Because bicyclists are usually in motion at the time of an accident or fall, significant force may be involved in these injuries. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons reports that without proper protection, a fall of as little as two feet can result in a skull fracture or other traumatic brain injury. The extent of the head injury may depend on the force of the blow. In mild cases, hitting your head during a bicycling accident might involve a brief period of unconsciousness, while serious accidents can cause permanent neurological damage or death.
Long-Term Effects
Traumatic brain injuries can cause long-term disabilities after a bicycle accident. Common disabilities include communication problems, changes in behavior or personality, depression, aggression and problems with vision, hearing or reasoning. The most common cognitive impairment among severely injured patients is memory loss, characterized by some loss of specific memories and the partial ability to form or store new ones. Problems with thinking, reasoning and memory after a head injury can make it hard for injured people to adequately perform at school or work.
Risk Factors
Not wearing a helmet when riding your bike, or wearing an ill-fitting helmet, are the most significant risk factors for bicycle-related head injuries. You're also at higher risk if you're male, you're between the ages of 9 and 14, you ride your bike in the afternoon or early evening, or participate in competitive mountain bike racing, according to a May 15, 2001 article by Matthew J. Thompson, M.B., CH.B and Frederick P. Rivara, M.D., MPH. The article, entitled "Bicycle-Related Injuries," was published in "American Family Physician." You can reduce your chance of a head injury by riding your bike on a bike path or in another area that doesn't allow motor vehicle traffic.
Wearing a Helmet
Helmets contain a layer of crushable polystyrene that helps absorb the force of a blow to the head, reducing damage to the skin, skull and brain. The outer plastic shell allows the helmet to slide on rough road surfaces, preventing your neck from jerking or bending when you hit the ground. The safest type of helmet has a round shape with no sharp projections or pointed tails at the back. Tails on helmets can snag during a crash and knock the helmet aside, reducing its ability to protect the head. Replacing helmets that have been in an accident, even if the accident wasn't serious, is an important safety consideration. Once crushed, the polystyrene foam may no longer provide sufficient protection in future accidents.
References
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Bicycle Helmet Use Laws
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons: Sports-Related Head Injury
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: What Disorders Can Result From a TBI?
- "American Family Physician"; Bicycle-Related Injuries; Matthew S. Thompson, M.B., CH.B., and Frederick P. Rivara, M.D., M.PH.; May 2001
