The bike helmet debate stirs strong emotions. Many of us have heard stories of people who suffered traumatic brain injuries after being struck by a motorist while biking without a helmet. It’s also common to hear testimony from people who believe that wearing protective headgear made the difference between life or death during a crash.
On the other hand, there are many people—even mainstream American bike advocates—who say helmets aren’t necessary for all kinds of riding.
The question of whether helmets are necessary for everyday commuting is far more complex in a city like Chicago. Here, less than 2 percent of trips to work are made by bicycle, protected bike lanes are still fairly uncommon, and we have an epidemic of aggressive and distracted driving, resulting in a comparatively high injury and fatality rates.
People generally aren’t wearing helmets while using bike-share. Still, a study released in March by the Mineta Transportation Institute found that there have been zero fatalities among U.S. systems since the first one debuted in Tulsa in 2007. This excellent safety record has been credited to the fact that the bikes are slow, stable, and have built-in generator lights; plus, users are often new to urban cycling, and therefore cautious. The lack of helmets may even make bike-share safer by further discouraging risk-taking behavior.
Of Chicago advocates, Randy Neufeld, the founding director of Active Trans, who now runs the SRAM Cycling Fund, may have the best understanding of why northern-European cycling is so safe. Bankrolled by the local bike-parts manufacturer, the fund provides grants for cycling infrastructure projects in North America, Europe, and Taiwan, so Neufeld has traveled to many countries to check out best practices.
“My goal is to make Chicago a place where, someday, you won’t need to wear a bike helmet,” he says. v
