Few cyclists using public bike sharing programs such as Hubway wear helmets, according to a recent study, putting them at risk for head injury.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and published Monday in the online edition of the Annals of Emergency Medicine, concluded that only one in five bike share cyclists wears a helmet, according to a press release.
“Head injury accounts for about a third of all bicycle injuries and about three-quarters of bicycle related deaths, so these are some pretty shocking numbers,” said lead author and emergency medicine physician Christopher Fischer, in the press release.
A number of Boston University students said they always wear a helmet when riding bicycles.
“In first grade I fell off my bike and broke my elbow and I had to have pin put in it,” said Rachael Allen, a College of Communication freshman. “So I’m very conscious about my bike riding safety precautions because bad things have happened to me.”
While she doesn’t use Hubway because she is afraid of riding in traffic, Allen said she sees the appeal.
“Take that extra step to make yourself safe, and you can still have a good time riding your bike through Boston, which is obviously a fun time,” she said.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Pat Wilson said people might not wear helmets because they think they’re “uncool,” but he still thinks head protection is important.
“You may trust yourself on a bike, but it’s not really you that you have to worry about, it’s other people hitting you,” Wilson said. “They’re really important to keep you safe.”
However, Socrates Boutsikaris, a College of Engineering junior, said he does not wear a helmet when he rides Hubway bikes because he doesn’t carry a helmet around with him.
“Whenever I ride Hubway it’s usually a spur of the moment thing, I don’t plan ahead” he said. “I don’t have a helmet on me.”
While the Hubway website offers locations where renters can purchase helmets, they’re not required in order to rent a bicycle.
“Bike sharing programs have the potential to offer a lot of benefits to cyclists and cities, but it’s important to encourage safe cycling,” Fischer said in the release. “We know that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury dramatically, and we believe that helmets should be more readily available at bike rental sites.”
Boutsikaris said he didn’t think helmets were a necessity, at least for him.
“I like [Hubway], and I don’t really see a problem with [not wearing a helmet],” he said. “It’s usually just on campus, and I’m confident I’ll be safe.”
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