Editorial
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Global Road Safety Partnership, the World Bank, and the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, released a comprehensive and extremely useful manual on helmets. The manual, produced under the auspices of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, is designed to be used by decision makers and injury practitioners. The manual explores the science, policy, and promotion strategies that need to be considered when considering a helmet strategy to reduce head injuries.

This manual provides practical advice on how to achieve a higher proportion of users of two-wheeled vehicles wearing helmets. It is a companion piece to the World report on road traffic injury prevention. That report focused on the scientific basis of helmet effectiveness. This manual is more operationally focused.

The manual can be used on several levels. It is useful to anyone starting a helmet promotion programme, or it can be used to fine tune a helmet promotion programme that is already operational. The manual also contains the tools needed to help in programme evaluation.

The manual is available online in pdf format by clicking here or single copies can be obtained by contacting WHO in your country or the Department of Violence and Injury Prevention at WHO in Geneva.

We have combined both the Summer and Fall 2006 issues of Headlines in this issue. Our next Headlines will be published in January, 2007. As always, we welcome your contributions and comments.

Philip L. Graitcer
Facilitator, WHO Helmet Initiative

No Helmets Seen in Hospitalized Patients in Ilorin, Nigeria
In a new study published in Injury Prevention, B.A. Solagberu and his colleagues found no helmet use in their one-year prospective study of 112 hospitalized patients due to motorcycle injuries. Of the 112 injury patients seen – most were riders (54%) and most were males (88%). Though many had multiple injuries, a total of 71 (63%) of the patients received head and neck injuries. More than three-quarters of the injured had mild to moderate trauma, and 8 patients died, seven of head injuries. read more

Watered-Down Motorcycle Helmet Laws Means Higher Death Rates in Florida
A weakening of Florida’s motorcycle helmet laws led to a dramatic decrease in the use of helmets in this state. According to researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, those changes also significantly increased the number of motorcyclist death rates in Florida, involving both single and multiple vehicle crashes. read more

New Child Safety Good Practice Guide
We often receive emails from parents, teachers, and community leaders asking us about what works in preventing head injuries. The European Child Safety Alliance has just published a “Good Practice Guide” that examines child safety practice strategies that are known to work or have a high probability of success. One strategy is, of course, the use of helmets. read more

Controversy: Letters in BMJ Question Bicycle Helmet Effectiveness
The British Medical Journal (BMJ) issue of 8 April 2006 published three letters critical of laws requiring mandatory use of bicycle helmets. The arguments in these articles are presented below. read more

On Bike In Helmet Only
A Report of a 3-year Community Campaign Promoting Bicycle Helmets
Bicycle-related head injuries are the main cause of hospitalization among young bikers in Europe. In the Czech Republic bicycle helmet use has been mandatory for children under 15 since 2001. In the city of Kromeriz, Czech Republic, a pilot study to increase helmet use among children was undertaken. read more

Bicycle Helmets Promoted in Sarawak
In Malaysia, the Malaysian Helmet Initiative with the support of the J&J Asia/Pacific Safety Program conducted a campaign to promote helmet use among school children in Sarawak. Children were taught to ride safely and given helmets. Here are pictures of one of the programs. read more

New Issue: WHO Newsletter on Road Safety
The Road Ahead, WHO’s newsletter on road safety, has just been released. In the new issue are articles about the launch of the report of the Commission for Global Road Safety, plans for the first UN road safety week, the Asian Highway Network meeting details, and information on a road safety workshop in Chile. You can download a copy of The Road Ahead here (pdf format).

The Road Traffic Injuries Research Network launches a Helmet Multi-centre Research Project
Although we know a lot about the effectiveness of helmets, we know little about topics such as helmet wearing rates, use of non-standard helmets, and helmet legislation - especially in low-income and middle-income countries. read more