Citation

Hagel BE, Pless IB. Accid. Anal. Prev. 2006; 38(2): 277-278.

Affiliation

Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, 1820 Richmond Road S.W., Calgary, Alta., Canada T2T 5C7.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.aap.2005.09.004

PMID

16246287

Abstract

In a recent paper published in Accident Analysis & Prevention, Curnow puts forward a number of arguments against legislating bike helmet use [The Cochrane Collaboration and bicycle helmets. Accid. Anal. Prevent. 37(3), 569-573]. He begins by criticizing the scientific evidence that helmets protect against head and brain injuries. The crux of his argument is that in theory helmets should not protect all mechanisms of brain injury and, therefore, all epidemiological research showing they are beneficial in a variety of circumstances is invalid. This short communication identifies some of the questionable elements in Curnow's assertions.