The Importance of Wearing a Good Bicycle Helmet
As an avid cyclist who has had plenty of falls over the years, I swear by the use a bike helmet whenever riding a bike.
I am listing all of the Consumer Reports top rated bike helmets for adults and kids.
Contents
10 Great Reasons to Wear a Helmet
- There are 85 million bicycle riders in the US. Most of them will fall at some point.
- 770 bicyclists died on US roads in 2006, down just 14 from the year before. Over 90 percent died in crashes with motor vehicles.
- The "typical" bicyclist killed on our roads is a sober male over 16 not wearing a helmet riding on a major road between intersections in an urban area on a summer evening when hit by a car.
- About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.
- Bicycle crashes and injuries are under-reported, since the majority are not serious enough for emergency room visits. 44,000 cyclists were reported injured in traffic crashes in 2006.
- 1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury.
- Two-thirds of the bicycling deaths are from traumatic brain injury.
- A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent.
- Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year.
- Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year!
The Proper Way to Wear a Helmet
What Makes a Good Helmet?
Also, what makes a good fit?
The helmet must meat national impact and safety standards. Make sure your helmet comes with a national safety label, such as the Snell Helmet Safety Standards insignia or the more common (in the USA) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) accreditation.The helmet should fit snuggly on your head, yet be comfortable. It should NOT be tilted back at an angle!
It also should not obstruct your field of vision.
Another consideration is the amount of vents available, to keep your head cool. Generally, the more the merrier.
Helmets for Adults
Bell Citi
Bell Slant
Giro Atmos
Giro Atmos Racing Bike Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price: $174.95
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Helmets for Kids
Bell Trigger
Bell Trigger Youth Bike Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price: $29.99
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Bell Trigger Youth Cycling Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price:
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Louis Garneau 2008 Ruckus Children's/Youth Cycling Helmet - 1405725
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price:
Avg. Customer Rating:
Bell Racer Child's Cycling Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price: $14.99
Avg. Customer Rating:
Helmets for Toddlers
Bell Boomerang Infant/Toddler Bike Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price:
Avg. Customer Rating:
Bell Lil' Bell Shell Toddler/Kids' Bike Helmet
Amazon Price: (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price:
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Bell Bellino Toddler Bicycle Helmet (Pink Fuzzy Bunny)
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price: $19.99
Avg. Customer Rating:
Airius V6 Toddler Bicycle Helmet, White
Amazon Price: $12.73 (as of 08/07/2008)
List Price:
Avg. Customer Rating:
"All the cool kids wear helmets!"
So stylish!
So smart!
A Pro
Kid on bike trailer
Oh, so cool!
Happy to be fitted properly
Tired...but safe
Those goofy helmets
Do you wear a bike helmet?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes
sharkytoon says:
yes I do wear helmets but only the good ones. I do not wear helmets for style, just for safety though.
Posted May 21, 2008
ms-giggles says:
I've haven't ridden in a long time, but I'm looking for and bike and I will be wearing a helmet. I like the kids helmets over the adults!!!
Posted May 10, 2008
triathlontraining says:
Absolutely! I once had a bad fall and my helmet saved me from serious injury. A large chunk was missing from the side of my bike helmet after I pulled it off to look at it. I escaped with only a few scrapes and a nice little story!
Posted April 28, 2008
No
spirituality says:
Like most Dutch people, I don't wear a helmet when biking. To wear a helmet is starting to make headway for kids though.
Posted August 02, 2008
Rrrrracing!
Oh my goodness, he's quite possibly the cutest kid I've ever seen in a bike helm...
First bike...and first helmet!
I'm cool!
He was wearing his helmet...smart kid!
The robot jacket still fits!
Nice bike!
Checkin out the new bike in dad's back yard
Riding at the park
Everyone's happy
Well, it's on backwards...
Helmets make you faster
For more information
- AAP - TIPP: Tips for Getting Your Children to Wear Bicycle Helmets
- Tips for getting your children to wear bicycle helmets. Establish the helmet habit early. Have your children wear helmets as soon as they start to ride bikes - even if they are passengers on the back of an adult's bike.
- Helmets: Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: Bike Helmets
- Info on bicycle helmets, standards, safety, laws, more.
- Safe Kids USA
- The National SAFE KIDS Campaign promotes fire safety, car safety and home safety to both adults
and children. Their mission is to prevent the number one killer of children unintentional injury. - Helmets: Attitudes and Actions
- Helmets: Attitudes And Actions
Somebody Loves This Youngster!
Teach Your Kids
While they are young to wear a helmet
Your Story
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mulberry
I hate wearing helmets but...I worked with those who had brain injuries for years and I would never consider going without one. Posted August 06, 2008 |
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tropicalstarlet
love those helmets. :) It is important for me to wear proper helmet when I do mountain biking. Posted August 05, 2008 |
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spirituality
Great lens :) Posted August 02, 2008 |
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andrphilip
This lens you put together is very thorough. It must have taken a lot of time to research. Thank you for putting out the effort to keep us safe. When I was in Cambodia I rode a scooter all over town. Having a good helmet was a must. It's very important when cycling as well. Posted July 25, 2008 |
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The_Homeopath
What a great, informative lens! My kiddos are going to be needing new helmets soon - we use them for horseback riding as well as biking (you just can't find equestrian helmets for toddlers and younger kids). Posted July 24, 2008 |
