Motorcycle helmet type and the risk of head injury and neck injury during motorcycle collisions in California. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Erhardt, Taryn; Rice, Thomas; Troszak, Lara; Zhu, Motao
• Is Part Of: Accident analysis and prevention. Volume 86(2016)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Motorcycle -- Injury -- Helmet -- Neck injury -- Head injury; Accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Accident Prevention -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Prévention -- Périodiques; 363.106
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.10.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-4575

Abstract

Highlights: Law enforcement agencies collected supplemental data on motorcycle collisions. Full-face and modular helmets were the most protective against head injury. The novelty helmet risk ratio for head injury was 2.8 relative to full-face helmets. Motorcycle helmet type was not associated with the risk of neck injury. Abstract: The use of novelty motorcycle helmets is often prompted by beliefs that wearing a standard helmet can contribute to neck injury during traffic collisions. The goal of this analysis was to examine the association between helmet type and neck injury risk and the association between helmet type and head injury. Data were collected during the investigation of motorcycle collisions of any injury severity by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and 83 local law enforcement agencies in California between June 2012 and July 2013. We estimated head injury and neck injury risk ratios from data on 7051 collision-involved motorcyclists using log-binomial regression. Helmet type was strongly associated with head injury occurrence but was not associated with the occurrence of neck injury. Rider age, rider alcohol use, and motorcycle speed were strong, positive predictors of both head and neck injury. Interventions to improve motorcycle helmet choice and to counteract misplaced concerns surrounding neck injury risk are likely to lead to reductions in head injury, brain injury, and death.