Should I wear a bicycle helmet?

Of course, our belief is that cyclists should wear helmets. After all, we are helmet advocates. In 2010, we saw an increase in blog posts from cyclists who did not believe that helmets were necessary. They challenged the traditional notion that helmets are essential for reducing brain injuries. This situation has continued over the past few years. The positive experiences from the bike-sharing program have raised fundamental questions about the need for helmets, and some riders are reconsidering.

Is there evidence that helmets can protect the brain and head? We have statistics to help you research this. Don't miss the recent data from New York City showing that 97% of deceased cyclists were not wearing helmets.

The U.S. Department of Transportation provides a summary of U.S. statistics based on 2015 data. (Released in June 2017, still the most recent).

In 2015, 818 cyclists died on U.S. roads, an increase of 12.2%, the highest number since 1995. (1003 in 1975)

In 2015, 45,000 cyclists were injured in traffic accidents, a decrease of 10% from 50,000 in 2014 (52,000 in 2010).

In 2015, 37 cyclists aged 14 and under were killed (7% of the total). 5,000 were injured.

The average age of cyclists killed on U.S. roads: 45 years old (36 years in 2002).

87% of fatalities were male. 83% of injuries were male.

70% of fatal accidents occurred in urban areas. 61% were not at intersections. 3% were on bike paths.

About half of the deaths occurred during the day.

In 2015, cyclist deaths accounted for 2.3% of all traffic fatalities.

27% of cyclists who died had been drinking. (Blood alcohol concentration over 0.01 g/dl) 37% of collision incidents involved a driver or cyclist who had been drinking.

Statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

IIHS has been the best source for online bicycle fatality statistics. The 'typical' cyclist who dies on our roads is a sober male over 16 years old, not wearing a helmet, struck by a car while riding on a major road between urban intersections on a summer evening.

IIHS Fatal Facts: Bicycles - 2014

Published in December 2017:

"About 2% of motor vehicle collision deaths each year are cyclists. In most cyclist fatalities, the most severe injuries are to the head, highlighting the importance of wearing bicycle helmets. It is estimated that wearing a helmet can reduce the likelihood of head injuries by 50% and the likelihood of head, face, or neck injuries by 33%. 21 states and the District of Columbia have helmet use laws applicable to young cyclists; these laws do not apply to all riders. Some local regulations in certain states require some or all cyclists to wear helmets. After helmet laws were enacted, the likelihood of cyclists wearing helmets was four times higher than before the laws were passed. Helmets are important for cyclists of all ages, not just young cyclists. 87% of cyclist fatalities are individuals aged 20 and older. In recent years, no more than 17% of fatally injured cyclists were wearing helmets."

The following facts are based on an analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

In 2016, a total of 835 cyclists died in collisions with motor vehicles. This was a 1% increase from 2015, making it the year with the highest number of bicycle fatalities since 1991. Although the number of cyclist deaths has decreased by 17% since 1975, the number has increased by 34% since reaching a low point in 2010. In 2016, the majority of cyclists who died (87%) were aged 20 and older. Since 1975, the number of deaths among cyclists under 20 has decreased by 87%, while the death rate among cyclists aged 20 and older has more than doubled. Since 1975, male cyclists have consistently outnumbered female cyclists in deaths due to motor vehicle collisions. Since 1975, the decline in female cyclists has been greater (28%) than that of male cyclists (15%).