Bicycle helmet use in British Columbia

To document current rates of bicycle helmet wearing throughout the province of British Columbia, systematic observations were conducted at a representative sample of sites during the summer of 1995. Data were collected for bicyclists of all ages observed riding on commuter and recreational routes as well as in school-based neighborhoods. Helmet use was highest at commuter locations (50%), in urban areas (42%) and among riders of road (racing) bicycles (49%). Persons ages 16 through 50 wore helmets most often (42%). Misuse was more common among females (12% vs. 6% for males) and was very high among children younger than six (26%). As the use of bicycles for both commuting and recreational bicycling have increased, the prevalence of bicycle-related injuries and fatalities has also begun to rise among adult bicyclists, who have become an increasing proportion of the bicycling population in recent years (Baker et al., 1992). Because the vast majority of bicycling deaths and disabling injuries result from head injury, promotion of bike helmet use is among the highest priorities of transportation and health officials working to reduce this problem (Wilson et al., 1991). Although well-designed, easy-to-use bicycle helmets have been available for several years, a substantial number of bicyclists still do not protect themselves from the most serious of injuries when they ride by using a helmet. Only a small number of studies have systematically examined helmet use by all bicyclists. Several others have focussed on children. Past studies of bicycle helmet use generally have been one of three types: observational surveys for program evaluation, population-based observational surveys or population-based self-report surveys.