Cycle helmets

Cycle helmets have been around since the late 1970s and are now used by a significant minority of London cyclists.

There has been considerable research into their effectiveness but it remains a highly controversial subject. There are no un-contested studies showing they work as well as is often claimed. In countries where helmets have been made compulsory there has been little long-term improvement in the rate of serious injury to cyclists while many people have been put off cycling altogether. Some researchers claim that helmet wearing gives cyclists a false sense of security and so they tend to take less care than otherwise. Seeing helmeted cyclists may also lead to car drivers taking less care.

Wearing a helmet does not prevent cars and lorries hitting cyclists and so can never be a truly effective safety measure.

To offer any protection a helmet must be worn correctly; close fitting and not pushed to the back of the head. A damaged or old helmet offers very little protection and should not be used.

If you decide to use a cycle helmet, look for:

• Sales staff who can help you fit it properly
  
  
• Adjustable straps and pads
  
  
• Vents (holes) to stop your head over-heating
  
  
• Safety test standards (look for BS, ANSI or SNELL stickers)

There is a lot about cycle helmets on the internet. The links on the right should provide some useful starting points.