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Children's bicycle helmet use and injuries in Hillsborough County, Florida before and after helmet legislation

¹ University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, Florida
² Maine Center for Public Health, Augusta, Maine
³ University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Correspondence to:
Associate Professor Karen DeSafey Liller, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
kliller{at}hsc.usf.edu

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research was to explore the changes in children's bicycle helmet use and motor vehicle bicycle related injuries in Hillsborough County, Florida before and after passage of the Florida's bicycle helmet law for children under the age of 16. The results show a significant increase in bicycle helmet use among children, ages 5–13, in the post-law years compared with the pre-law years. Also, there has been a significant decline in the rates of bicycle related motor vehicle injuries among children in the post-law years compared with the pre-law years. Although there have been complementary educational and outreach activities in the county to support helmet use, it appears that the greatest increase in use occurred after the passage of the helmet law. It is recommended that educational efforts continue to sustain helmet use rates and decreases in injuries.

Keywords: legislation; children; bicycle helmets

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio

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