Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, The Liberal, Copyright June 19, 1991

The previous few week’s columns have been dedicated to bringing you information regarding the importance of using helmets while riding bicycles. It sounds like a simple enough idea. Put a helmet on before you get on your bike, and it may save your life. Make your children wear a helmet and they may also be saved from a serious head injury.

The statistics are clear: wearing a proper cyclist’s helmet will prevent many injuries and may save your life. If you need statistics and facts, read my last two columns.

If you ask most adults about helmets, they will likely tell you that they are aware of the benefits of helmet use. However, despite the danger, and the knowledge about helmets, only two to three per cent of cyclists wear helmets, and a recent Hospital for Sick Children’s survey indicates that fewer than one per cent of children wear helmets while on their bikes.

One study showed that of 517 children and teenagers who were brought to a hospital emergency room following a bicycle accident, 100 had head injuries. Of the 517, only 13 per cent owned helmets, but the most disturbing statistic is that only 2.5 per cent actually wore their helmets.

These injured youths were instructed in proper helmet use and bicycle safety. Six weeks after their emergency room visit the 87 per cent who didn’t previously own a helmet were contacted. Only seven per cent more had purchased a helmet.

Obviously peer pressure plays a role in the decision-making process, but one would think that a dented skull with little stones embedded in the scalp might also play a role!

Apparently not.

One common reason for not wearing a helmet is the same reason given for not wearing a seat belt in a car: “I’m only going for a short ride.’’ In fact, most cycling accidents actually occurred within a two kilometre radius of the person’s home. So much for that argument.

Now that you know that helmets save lives you must all be ready to run to the store. Read on.

A good helmet can be purchased for as little as $40, and like anything else the price goes up as does the comfort, durability and features.

Make sure that the helmet you buy is recognized by a standards group: Snell, Ansi, BSI, or CSA. The helmet should have a sticker on it to show that it does meet the standards.

Apparently the CSA standards require that a greater area of the head be covered, which obviously offers greater protection.

Fit is also important, for two reasons. If it isn’t comfortable you won’t wear it. (Like that pair of running shoes that I bought on sale, even though they were maybe just a slight little bit too tight. My wife warned me that I would never wear them. These shoes reside in the closet, but I do wear them once in a while just so she doesn’t get that “I told you so” look on her face.)

The other reason is so the helmet will fit snugly, and not shift position on your head if you are thrown from your bike.

Remember that wearing a helmet will not make you invincible. Wearing a hockey helmet often makes a child more daring and reckless while skating after the puck of an opponent into the corner of the rink.

A bicycle helmet will not save your life if you are run over by a truck. The coroner will not examine your body, count the 18 tire, marks and then in a shocked voice proclaim; “This shouldn’t have happened. He was wearing his helmet.”

The helmet might save your life if you are thrown from your bike and your head hits a car, curb, road, tree or fire hydrant. It might turn a potential death into a serious head injury, a serious injury into a mild one, or a mild injury into nothing but a close call. It’s worth the 40 bucks.