Brain injury news
14/05/2009

Campaigning appeal made for more cyclists to wear helmets

Urgent calls have been made for cyclists to wear helmets when riding in a bid to prevent head injuries and deaths caused by road accidents.

A brain injury charity called Headway is pressing for more people to don bicycle helmets - although it is not illegal to cycle without them in the UK.

Headway provides support and assistance to those affected by brain injury and is campaigning for a new law to make it compulsory for children aged 15 and under to wear helmets.

Statistics show that children are vulnerable to injury and death on British roads, being almost four times more likely than adults to die if involved in cycling accidents.

Headway's chief executive Peter McCabe said, "The simple fact is that cycle helmets can save lives and prevent lifelong disability. We would like to see all cyclists wearing helmets, but children are particularly at risk when cycling on the roads as they do not have the insight, balance, strength or experience of adults."

He said it was common sense that wearing a helmet could provide more protection for a skull than not wearing one and, by doing so, prevent a more serious head injury than might otherwise be caused.