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Original Article
Effects of state helmet laws on bicycle helmet use by children and adolescents
  1. G B Rodgers
  1. Correspondence and reprint requests to:
 Dr Gregory B Rodgers, Directorate for Economic Analysis, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, USA;
 grodgers{at}cpsc.gov

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of state helmet laws in increasing the use of bicycle helmets by children and adolescents under age 16.

Setting: United States.

Methods: A cross sectional study of factors associated with the likelihood of helmet use by children and adolescents. Data were derived from a national random digit dial telephone survey of bicycle riders. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the independent effect of the state helmet laws on helmet use.

Results: Helmet use was systematically related to the presence of state helmet laws (odds ratio 2.65; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29 to 5.44). The increase in the average probability of helmet use attributable to state helmet laws was 18.4% (95% CI 17.8% to 19.0%).

Conclusions: State helmet laws significantly increase helmet use by children and play an important part in any comprehensive effort designed to achieve this goal.

  • helmet
  • law
  • bicycle
  • head protective devices
  • transportation
  • CI, confidence interval
  • CPSC, Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • OR, odds ratio
  • helmet
  • law
  • bicycle
  • head protective devices
  • transportation
  • CI, confidence interval
  • CPSC, Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • OR, odds ratio

https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.8.1.42

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