Life jackets, really?

[IanD]

21 minutes ago, MartynG said:

https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/cyclists/cycle-helmets-factsheet.pdf

 

 

So I hope you also noted that this factsheet was from 2018, and more recent data/analysis has tended to confirm the "risk compensation" factor? 😉

 

I'm really trying not to cherry-pick here, as expected not all the studies agree especially across different countries -- but the current consensus seems to be that this effect is real and either largely negates or even reverses the safety benefits of helmet-wearing.

[Momac]

2020 

https://www.rospa.com/media/documents/road-safety/cycle-helmets-factsheet.pdf

2023

https://www.rospa.com/getmedia/00aa52fa-23ef-4c1e-b8cb-99cba7cc8ffb/Cycle-helmet-revised-0523.pdf

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-cyclists.html

 

So the ROSPA an UK Government recommendation  remains in favour of  wearing a cycling helmet . But its not mandatory.

 

[GBW]

Try before you buy.

Some can be uncomfortable round the neck after a while.

[IanD]

3 hours ago, MartynG said:

2020 

https://www.rospa.com/media/documents/road-safety/cycle-helmets-factsheet.pdf

2023

https://www.rospa.com/getmedia/00aa52fa-23ef-4c1e-b8cb-99cba7cc8ffb/Cycle-helmet-revised-0523.pdf

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-cyclists.html

 

So the ROSPA an UK Government recommendation  remains in favour of  wearing a cycling helmet . But its not mandatory.

 

 

And what it says is correct -- "evidence suggests that a correctly fitted helmet will reduce your risk of head injury in certain circumstances". Nobody is arguing with that, me included -- if you come off your bike and smack your head on the ground, it reduces the chances of you dying from head injuries.

 

But this ignores two other facts, which are that the majority of fatal bike accidents are not due to this happening, they're cyclists colliding with high-speed cars or being squashed by trucks, and a helmet does little to improve survival rates in either of these cases. And anything like "risk compensation" -- motorists taking less care around helmet-wearing cyclists, or cyclists riding less cautiously because they feel safer -- increases the accident and death rates.

 

Various analyses from around the world has shown that this "hidden negative" effect -- even if it's relatively small -- can more than cancel out the "obvious positive" effect of helmet-wearing. But it's difficult to convince people -- or governments -- of this because it's emotion vs. facts -- and statistical ones at that -- all over again, "my child's brain was damaged" vs. "statistically helmets may increase the risk of death". People are very bad at making judgements in cases like this...

 

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I might also point out that the reason the government doesn't want to look too closely at this is that there are many things that they could do to increase cyclist safety and reduce accident rates -- especially fatal ones -- which would have a *much* bigger impact than this, but this would mean them spending money and admitting that their "pro-cyclist" policies are actually a load of bunkum... 😞

Edited August 15, 2023 by IanD