The Martlet

For years, police, health professionals and others have been warning cyclists about the dangers of riding without a helmet. Their message does not appear, however, to be getting through to many UVic students.

Constable Mat Jones of the Saanich Police Transportation Safety Unit says there is a trend “particularly among the university crowd” to ride without head protection.

“Children and older adults are generally okay, but young adults are less likely to comply with the helmet law,” Jones said. “I think they have a feeling of invulnerability.”

A survey conducted by the Martlet outside the Student Union Building appeared to confirm police observations. Of the first 50 cyclists spotted, 31 were not wearing helmets. Of the 19 with helmets, four were older adults. That means the vast majority of young cyclists in the survey group were breaking the law and running the risk of serious head injury.

Most of the helmetless cyclists approached by the Martlet declined to be interviewed on why they chose not to wear a helmet. However, one young man said he regularly doesn’t wear a helmet because of the hassle of carrying it around and “it’s so much easier to just hop on a bike and go.”

Another young man who was rushing off to class said that, while he was concerned about sustaining a head injury, he had been in such a hurry to get out of the house he had simply forgotten his helmet.

Eric Fisk, a helmetless 23-year-old University of Ottawa graduate, argued that helmets can provide a false sense of security and that it is just as important to learn how to avoid accidents through proper traffic and safety education. He contended that helmets provide limited protection above 30 km per hour.

“I’d definitely wear a helmet for mountain biking or long distances,” Fisk said, adding that he would probably be wearing a helmet if he had one available in Victoria.

Alex Schiebel, a 21-year-old UVic student, was among the minority of helmet wearers.

“I’ve hit my head enough times to know what might happen,” Schiebel said. “I’ve actually broken a few helmets while mountain biking.”

Peter Scales, a mature cyclist who recently finished his master’s degree at UVic, said he started wearing a helmet 15 years ago after he saw a young man walk into a bike shop with a bike helmet that was split in two.

“He had run into a telephone pole and there was little doubt he would have been killed or seriously injured had it not been for the helmet,” Scales said. “That convinced me, and I’ve been wearing a helmet ever since.”

Another cyclist who won’t ride without a helmet is 25-year-old Rochelle Veronneau, an administrator with the Victoria Brain Injury Society who is currently studying physiology at UVic.

“When faced daily with the devastating impacts of brain injury, I wouldn’t ever consider riding without my helmet,” she said. “I am baffled by the trend of inconsistent helmet use at the university.”

Veronneau said she is exasperated when she sees students jeopardize all the time and money they have invested in education.

“Put simply, a brain injury can mean game over for a person’s ability to finish school, work, or maintain personal relationships,” Veronneau said. “Avoiding helmet use for fear of appearing lame or having helmet hair can result in a lifetime of issues. It’s not like a broken arm; the brain has a limited capacity to heal.”

Veronneau disagreed with Fisk’s attitude towards helmet wearing.

“Traffic safety is essential, but an accident is an accident and you can never predict when it’s going to happen,” she said. “Serious injury is possible even at low speeds.”

According to Veronneau, bicycle helmets work only when they are worn properly. The helmet should be worn flat on the top of the head so it covers the top of the forehead. It should also be securely fastened and fit snuggly, without rocking from front to back or side to side.

Facts from the Victoria Brain Injury Society and other sources:

• Head injury is the top cause of death and disability among youth.

• There are about 130 cyclist deaths in Canada every year and an estimated 50,000 injuries requiring medical attention.

• Wearing an approved bicycle helmet reduces the risk of brain injury by 88 per cent.

• Long-term medical care for a person with a severe brain injury costs $8 million.

• 75 per cent of bicycle-related deaths are caused by head injuries.