Protecting pedalers
Groups, parents advocate for bicycle helmet laws
Dr. Steve McGraw has worked in emergency medicine for more than 30 years and while he’s treated many children for injuries sustained while riding a bicycle one case in particular that he will never forget.
“It was just before the pandemic,” said McGraw, chair of emergency medicine for Ascension Providence Hospital Rochester. “A child, probably 8 or 9 years old, was riding a bicycle when his wheel hit the curb and he was catapulted over the handlebars. He landed on his head.”
“It was purely a head injury,” McGraw said.
The boy was not wearing a helmet and suffered a severe brain injury resulting in significant loss of cognitive skills that will require lifelong medical and rehabilitative treatment, along with counseling and other services related to long term changes in personality and behavior.
“I shudder to think that it’s likely this child has challenges that he didn’t need to have,” said McGraw, explaining had the boy been wearing a helmet he likely would not have these issues.
The numbers
Each year, in the United States, approximately 900 people die from injuries due to bicycle crashes and over 500,000 people are treated in emergency departments, according to a study by the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Data for Michigan riders in 2020, compiled by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and Michigan State Police show:
• There were 1,235 bicyclists involved in motor vehicle crashes.
• A total of 38 bicyclists were killed in 37 fatal crashes on Michigan roadways. Three of the fatalities involved children under the age of 16 and one teenager.
• There were also 933 bicyclists injured in crashes reported by MSP.
Head injury is by far the greatest risk posed to bicyclists, comprising one-third of emergency department visits, two-thirds of hospital admissions, and three-fourths of deaths.
Facial injuries to cyclists also occur at a rate nearly identical to that of head injuries, which can have a significant impact both physically and emotionally.
“Now that the weather is breaking we’ve already seen quite a few people with some kind of injury related to bicycles, scooters and skateboards,” said McGraw, noting many of these have involved children.
To combat the bicycle fatalities among adults who tend to use all types of roads for bicycling the National Transportation Safety Board is advocating for safer roadway designs, new standards for rider visibility and measures to speed the rollout of crash avoidance systems capable of detecting bicyclists.
The agency is also urging state governments to pass laws requiring bicyclists of all ages to wear helmets, and while other states have adopted such laws, they only pertain to children.
Helmet laws for kids
Most children do not ride their bicycles on freeways and major roads, so they do not
make up a large portion of the statistics involving high impact crashes with motor vehicles.
But every year thousands of kids sustain serious head and facial injuries due to bicycle accidents.
“Most of their injuries come from falling off the bike, hitting the curb, running into another bike, hitting a tree or running into a parked car,” said Steve McGraw, professor of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and chair of the Department of Foundational Medicine.
That’s not to say young riders are not involved in crashes with motor vehicles going 60 mph but it’s rare in comparison to adult riders involved in crashes on city streets and major roads.
Safety experts believe having a law that would require children age 16 and under to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle would significantly reduce the serious head injuries children sustain from bicycle accidents.
“Absolutely,” Gould said, when asked if he would support a helmet law in Michigan. “There’s no reason not to have one considering the data.”
• The NLM estimates that helmet use provides a 63 to 88% reduction in the risk of head, brain and severe brain injury for all ages of bicyclists.
• Helmets provide equal levels of protection for crashes involving motor vehicles (69%) and crashes from all other causes (68%).
• Injuries to the upper and mid facial areas are reduced 65%.
Christopher Drummy agrees with Gould.
“The Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County is the lead agency for Macomb Safe Kids, and while I cannot speak for the entire Safe Kids organization, I will go out on a limb to say that I am sure we all agree that wearing a helmet while bicycling is a very smart idea and the best way to prevent trauma to the head and neck,” said Christopher Drummy, executive director of the Traffic Safety Association and Alcohol HIghway Safety Program of Macomb County.
“Of course, we would support any legislation that aims to save lives and prevent bicycle-related injuries,” added Drummy.
State helmet laws
Over the past several decades more than 20 states have adopted laws that require young riders to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.
The state and their age requirement include: Alabama: 15 and younger California: 17 and younger Connecticut: 15 and younger
Delaware: 17 and younger Florida: 15 and younger Georgia: 15 and younger Hawaii: 15 and younger Louisiana: 11 and younger Maine: 15 and younger Maryland: 15 and younger Massachusetts: 16 and younger
New Hampshire: 15 and younger
New Jersey: 16 and younger
New Mexico: 17 and younger
New York: 13 and younger North Carolina: 15 and younger
Oregon: 15 and younger Pennsylvania: 11 and younger
Rhode Island: 15 and younger
Tennessee: 15 and younger
West Virginia: 14 and younger
Michigan is among the states that do not have a helmet law for young bicyclists.
However, many parents support the recommendations of safety experts including Doug Matthews of Waterford.
“I didn’t wear a helmet when I was a kid but that’s because we didn’t have them,” said Matthews, but once they became available he became an avid user.
As a parent he and his wife also insisted that their children wear them, too.
“We used to do a lot of road touring and we always wore our helmets,” said Matthews, whose children are now adults. “In the last few years we have switched to mountain biking but my daughter, who rides in North Carolina, still wears a helmet.”
Matthews said a lot of the mountain bike trails and municipal bike paths require riders to wear a helmet, and while teenagers of the past would rather give up their bicycles than wear a dorky helmet new designs and the popularity of cool skateboarders wearing them has helped to increase their usage.
Helmet law or not McGraw said he would just like to see people doing what they can to protect children against injuries that could change their life forever.
“Head injuries are serious,” said McGraw, who would not allow his children to ride a bicycle without one and says the most important thing to remember is not so much the brand of helmet but that it fits your child properly.
Free helmets
This past March the Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County received a grant from General Motors, which will be used to purchase bicycle helmets to be distributed for free during safety events throughout the county.
Ascension Providence Hospital and Safe Kids Oakland County have also teamed up to host events in which they have handed out free helmets and provided experts to make sure the helmets fit the riders properly.
Ascension Providence’s next event will be May 25 at Thorton Creek Elementary School at 46180 West Nine Mile Rd., in Novi.
For more information visit healthcare.ascension.org/locations/michigan/midet/novi-ascensionprovidence-hospital-novicampus.