No one likes an admonition, so Geezer begins instead with some very scary numbers from this piece in the New York Times. Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by
up to 88 percent and facial injuries by 65 percent, according to a Cochrane Database Systemic Review
published in 2000. More than 90 percent of the 714 bicyclists killed in
2008 were not wearing helmets, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Get the picture? Now get a helmet. Fortunately, the same piece in the New York Times offers some excellentf advice about how to do that:
Buy a helmet with a CPSC sticker. The sticker ensures that the product has met the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission’s standards.
Cheap may be just fine. According to a study by the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Va., $10 helmets from Wal-Mart Stores and Target held up just as well as more expensive models from high-end outlets.
Make sure the helmet fits the head. The helmet should sit two
finger widths above your eyebrows, the straps should come under your
ears and you should be able to open and close your mouth comfortably.
Remember that brightly colored helmets are easier to see, and reflective tape is particularly easy to see at night.
My bike helmet saved me from a serious head injury whan I crashed by road bike going 25 mph. Try jumping out of your car in your underwear if you want to see what that feels like! Smashed in the back of the helmet.