This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by LeBlanc, J. C.
Right arrow Articles by Culligan, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by LeBlanc, J. C.
Right arrow Articles by Culligan, C.
Related Collections
Right arrow Other public health
Right arrow Medicine and the Law (including Forensic Medicine)
CMAJ • March 5, 2002; 166 (5)
© 2002 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors

Research
Recherche

Effect of legislation on the use of bicycle helmets

John C. LeBlanc*, Tricia L. Beattie{dagger} and Christopher Culligan{ddagger}

From *the Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, {dagger}the Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, and {ddagger}the Welland County General Hospital, Welland, Ont.

Correspondence to: Dr. John C. LeBlanc, IWK Health Centre, 5850 University Ave., PO Box 3070, Halifax NS B3J 3G9

Background: About 50 Canadian children and adolescents die each year from bicycle-related injuries, and 75% of all bicycle-related deaths are due to head injuries. Although the use of helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%, the rate of voluntary helmet use continues to be low in many North American jurisdictions. We measured compliance before, during and after 1997, when legislation making the use of helmets mandatory for cyclists was enacted in Nova Scotia.

Methods: In the summers and autumns of 1995 through 1999, trained observers who had a direct view of oncoming bicycle traffic recorded helmet use, sex and age group of cyclists in Halifax on arterial, residential and recreational roads. Sampling was done during peak traffic times of sunny days. We abstracted data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program database on bicycle-related injuries treated during the same period at the Emergency Department of the IWK Health Centre, Halifax.

Results: The rate of helmet use rose dramatically after legislation was enacted, from 36% in 1995 and 38% in 1996, to 75% in 1997, 86% in 1998 and 84% in 1999. The proportion of injured cyclists with head injuries in 1998/99 was half that in 1995/96 (7/443 [1.6%] v. 15/416 [3.6%]) (p = 0.06). Police carried out regular education and enforcement. There were no helmet-promoting mass media education campaigns after 1997.I nterpretation: Rates of helmet use rose rapidly following the introduction of legislation mandating the use of helmets while bicycling. The increased rates were sustained for 2 years afterward, with regular education and enforcement by police.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 HEALTH PROMOT INTHome page
P. Berg and R. Westerling
A decrease in both mild and severe bicycle-related head injuries in helmet wearing ages trend analyses in Sweden
Health Promot. Int., September 1, 2007; 22(3): 191 - 197.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 cfpHome page
M. R. Keezer, A. Rughani, M. Carroll, and B. Haas
Head first: Bicycle-helmet use and our children's safety
Can Fam Physician, July 1, 2007; 53(7): 1131 - 1132.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 cfpHome page
M. R. Keezer, A. Rughani, and M. C. B. Haas
Tete premiere: Le port du casque et la securite de nos enfants
Can Fam Physician, July 1, 2007; 53(7): 1136 - 1137.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
A K Macpherson, C Macarthur, T M To, M L Chipman, J G Wright, and P C Parkin
Economic disparity in bicycle helmet use by children six years after the introduction of legislation.
Inj. Prev., August 1, 2006; 12(4): 231 - 235.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
B E Hagel, J W Rizkallah, A Lamy, K L Belton, G S Jhangri, N Cherry, and B H Rowe
Bicycle helmet prevalence two years after the introduction of mandatory use legislation for under 18 year olds in Alberta, Canada.
Inj. Prev., August 1, 2006; 12(4): 262 - 265.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
J Vardy, E Clinton, and A Graham
Audit of an intervention to decrease cycle related head injuries in primary school children.
Inj. Prev., August 1, 2006; 12(4): 271 - 272.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
M Karkhaneh, J-C Kalenga, B E Hagel, and B H Rowe
Effectiveness of bicycle helmet legislation to increase helmet use: a systematic review.
Inj. Prev., April 1, 2006; 12(2): 76 - 82.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
K S Klein, D Thompson, P C Scheidt, M D Overpeck, L A Gross, and the HBSC International Investigators
Factors associated with bicycle helmet use among young adolescents in a multinational sample
Inj. Prev., October 1, 2005; 11(5): 288 - 293.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
A. Khambalia, C. MacArthur, and P. C. Parkin
Peer and Adult Companion Helmet Use Is Associated With Bicycle Helmet Use by Children
Pediatrics, October 1, 2005; 116(4): 939 - 942.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 TraumaHome page
R. J Hamilton and J. R. Stott
Cycling: the risks
Trauma, April 1, 2004; 6(2): 161 - 168.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
D L Robinson, A K Macpherson, P C Parkin, and T M To
Helmet laws and cycle use
Inj. Prev., December 1, 2003; 9(4): 380 - 381.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
P. C. Parkin, A. Khambalia, L. Kmet, and C. Macarthur
Influence of Socioeconomic Status on the Effectiveness of Bicycle Helmet Legislation for Children: A Prospective Observational Study
Pediatrics, September 1, 2003; 112 (3): e192 - e196.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
P Lardelli-Claret, J de Dios Luna-del-Castillo, J J Jimenez-Moleon, M Garcia-Martin, A Bueno-Cavanillas, and R Galvez-Vargas
Risk compensation theory and voluntary helmet use by cyclists in Spain
Inj. Prev., June 1, 2003; 9(2): 128 - 132.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Inj. Prev.Home page
A Guard
Splinters & Fragments
Inj. Prev., December 1, 2002; 8(4): 348 - 348.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
A. K. Macpherson, T. M. To, C. Macarthur, M. L. Chipman, J. G. Wright, and P. C. Parkin
Impact of Mandatory Helmet Legislation on Bicycle-Related Head Injuries in Children: A Population-Based Study
Pediatrics, November 1, 2002; 110(5): e60 - 60.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
W. Kreyes
Butting heads over bicycle helmets
Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(4): 337 - 337.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
J. C. LeBlanc
Butting heads over bicycle helmets
Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(4): 338 - 339.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
M. L. Chipman
Butting heads over bicycle helmets
Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(4): 339 - 339.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
T. J. DeMarco
Butting heads over bicycle helmets
Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(4): 337 - 337.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
M. Wardlaw
Butting heads over bicycle helmets
Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(4): 337 - 338.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
M. L. Chipman
Hats off (or not?) to helmet legislation
Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 1, 2002; 166(5): 602 - 602.
[Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

CMA irresponsible with bicycle helmets
Chris Gillham
CMAJ, 23 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Better peer review is needed
Malcolm Wardlaw
CMAJ, 9 Apr 2002 [Full text]
Re: Better peer review is needed
Avery Burdett
CMAJ, 18 Jun 2002 [Full text]
Helmet legislation is dangerous for cyclists
tOM A Trottier
CMAJ, 11 Apr 2005 [Full text]