Effect of the mandatory helmet law in Taiwan. Issue 4 (1st December 1999)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tsai, Ming-Che; Hemenway, David
• Is Part Of: Injury prevention. Volume 5:Issue 4(1999)
• Page Start: 290
• Page End: 291
• Publication Date: 1999-12-01
• Subjects: motorcycle -- head injury -- helmet law; Children's accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1136/ip.5.4.290
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8047

Abstract

Abstract : Objective —To estimate the impact of a mandatory motorcycle helmet law in Taiwan. Methods —Taiwan passed a mandatory helmet law in June 1997. Data were collected retrospectively from police reports, which include hospital data, to compare six months pre-law (June to November 1996) with the same six months post-law (June to November 1997). Results —Motorcycle fatalities decreased 14% after the introduction of the helmet law. Head injury fatalities fell 22% while fatalities from injuries to other bodily areas rose 20%. Non-fatal motorcycle injuries fell 31%. Non-fatal head injuries fell 44%; non-fatal injuries to other body parts fell 23%. Conclusion —This study indicates that large, immediate public health benefits resulted from the mandatory motorcycle helmet law in Taiwan.