HomeClick here to return to the home page
• Helmet law researchClick here for random but comprehensive statistical research or choose a topic to the right
  • Latest researchClick here for random but comprehensive statistical research
    
    
  • Research before lawBicycle helmet research before law enforcement in Western Australia
    
    
  • Bike hire failureFailure of bike hire schemes in Australia
    
    
  • Helmet law spinExplains research errors among
    pro-law academics
    
    
  • Government deceitGovernment turns a blind eye to helmet law results
    
    
  • Prison penaltiesRead about the first West Australian imprisoned for riding a bike
    
    
  • Football helmetsThe dangers of football helmets
    
    
  • Second-hand helmetsThe dangers of second hand helmets
    
    
• Cyclist numbersDetails of cyclist numbers in Western Australia before and since helmet law enforcement
  
  
  • Cycling participationCyclist numbers in Western Australia plunged after helmet law enforcement
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2011Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2011
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2013Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2013 collapse
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2015Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2015 ACP survey
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2017Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2017 ACP survey
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2019Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2019 ACP survey
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2021Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2021 ACP survey
    
    
  • Australia 1986-2023Compare 1985/86 bike riding participation with 2023 ACP survey
    
    
  • Child cyclingHow the helmet law discourages healthy cycling by children
    
    
• Cyclist injuriesDetails of cyclist injuries in Western Australia before and since helmet law enforcement
  
  
  • Numbers injuredWA cyclist injuries increased despite fewer cyclists after helmet law enforcement
    
    
  • WA injury summaryA summary of Western Australia cyclist injuries before and since helmet law enforcement
    
    
  • WA injury severityHead injury severity before and after helmet law enforcement
    
    
  • WA cyclist fatalitiesCyclist fatalities in Western Australia before and after legislation
    
    
  • Accidents 1987-1996Bicycle crashes and injuries from
    1987 to 1996
    
    
• Australian state resultsAnalysis of pre and post law participation and injuries in different jurisdictions
  
  
  • New South WalesPresentation of participation and injury results in NSW
    
    
  • VictoriaPresentation of participation and injury results in Victoria
    
    
  • QueenslandPresentation of participation and injury results in Queensland
    
    
  • South AustraliaPresentation of participation and injury results in South Australia
    
    
  • Western AustraliaPresentation of participation and injury results in Western Australia
    
    
  • TasmaniaPresentation of participation and injury results in Tasmania
    
    
  • Northern TerritoryPresentation of participation and injury results in the Northern Territory
    
    
  • 1999 analysisImpact of the helmet law in different Australian States
    
    
• Australian healthRead about Australia's health crisis caused largely by lack of exercise
  • Public health impactFat Australia punishes cycling exercise
    
    
  • Australia's obesity crisisPress clippings concerning the obesity crisis in Australia
    
    
  • Social impactSocial and health impact of bicycle helmet laws in Australia
    
    
• New ZealandImpact of bicycle helmet law in
  New Zealand
  • New Zealand resultsExamine injuries and participation before and after helmet legislation
    
    
  • New Zealand injury ratesCompare cyclists with pedestrian and other road user injury trends
    
    
United StatesImpact of bicycle helmet law in the United States CanadaImpact of bicycle helmet law in
Canada England, IrelandSpotlight on the bike helmet law debate in England and Ireland Web linksA comprehensive link directory for websites concerning bicycle helmets ContactIf you have a query, send a message.

I look forward to hearing from you!

The Wall Street Journal published a story in November 2009 questioning the potential increased risk of head injury stemming from grid-iron helmet use in the NFL.

American Heritage invention and technology magazine provides a detailed history of all types of helmets.

On football helmets introduced in the 1950s, the magazine notes: "However, it had a paradoxically catastrophic effect on injuries. It reduced some head damage but was held responsible for a tripling of neck injuries and a doubling of deaths from cervical spine injuries."

On bicycle helmets which began to enter the market from the 1970s, the magazine notes: "By 2001, the CPSC reported, 69 percent of child cyclists and 43 percent of adults in the United States wore helmets. Yet this apparent success has turned up a paradox. In the decade from 1991 to 2001 the surge in helmets was accompanied by a decline in ridership and an increase in cyclist accidents, resulting in 51 percent more head injuries per bicyclist."

In a February 2009 study titled Does Padded Headgear Prevent Head Injury in Rugby Union Football? published by Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, authors from various Australian and New Zealand universities conclude: Padded headgear does not reduce the rate of head injury or concussion. The low compliance rates are a limitation. Although individuals may choose to wear padded headgear, the routine or mandatory use of protective headgear cannot be recommended.

Below is a media release issued on March 8 2000 in which internationally recognised neurologist Dr Paul McCrory warns that football helmets are not only useless, but might actually lead to more severe injury.

His findings concerning increased risk compensation from football helmets leading to worse injury are in line with studies suggesting the same result for mandatory bicycle helmets.

In its 1994 inquiry on head and neck injuries to footballers, Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council examined evidence for the efficacy of bicycle helmets. It concluded that helmets may possibly reduce soft tissue injury, but "the use of helmets increases the size and mass of the head. This may result in an increase in brain injury."

Click here for an analysis explaining how mandatory bicycle helmet legislation is harming the democratic civil rights, safety and public health of the community in Western Australia.

Hard Knocks: College Football's Wake-Up Call examines the injury crisis of America's helmeted college football and College football safety gets shaped by research, including possible head-hit counts laments how "helmets have become a missile" in the game.

Helmets, mouthguards could offer false sense of security looks at protective apparatus and how helmets increase risk compensation in Canadian ice hockey.

Home      Western Australia cyclist injuries      Western Australia cyclist numbers      Child cycling      Helmet law research

Different Australian States      Helmet law New Zealand      Helmet law United States      Helmet law Canada      Helmet law England

Australia's health crisis      Australia's obesity crisis      Bicycle accidents 1987-1996      Cyclist fatalities      Second-hand helmets

Prison penalties      Social impact      WA injury severity      Football helmets      Web links      Contact