Summer 2009 Editorial

In this issue, we have summaries of several very interesting articles. Over a year ago, Viet Nam passed sweeping legislation to require motorcycle helmet wearing throughout the country – for all riders, on all roads, at all times. Peter Hill and his colleagues document the Herculean effort made by the media in promoting the government’s new law and in analyzing the law’s various pitfalls. The article is an excellent summary of the collaborative effort that was needed to bring helmet wearing rates to the 90 percent level. At the same time, Perrin reports that the law is not perfect. Helmet wearing is greatly different for children and adults. One loophole in the law makes it difficult to fine a child or his adult guardian for not wearing a helmet. There are ongoing efforts to close this gap in the law.

The World Health Organization has continued to focus key reports on injuries. The Global Status Report on Traffic Safety described country by country statistics on road traffic injuries. That report is available on the WHO website or here [link to report pdf]. A special issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization featured research and public policy findings related to injuries (provide web link). Two of the articles featured reports about helmets.

While most of the world is seeing increasing rates of helmet wearing, for both motorcycle and bicycle riders, in the United States, fewer states require that motorcycle riders wear them. As a result, injury and fatality rates have sharply increased – at rates that exceed the increased numbers of two wheeled vehicles on America’s roads. If the injury rates continue to increase, a Vietnam-type effort will be needed to bring injury and fatality rates down.

We hope you are having a pleasant summer. As always, we look forward to hearing from you and appreciate your suggestions for future topics.

Philip L. Graitcer
Facilitator, WHO Helmet Initiative

Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists most likely to be killed on world's roads, WHO reports
Nearly half of the estimated 1.23 million people killed in road traffic crashes are pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. That’s one of the findings in a new study, Global status report on road safety, published by WHO. While progress has been made towards protecting drivers and passengers in automobiles, other road users – pedestrians and motorcyclists and bicyclists – remain vulnerable to injury and death. read more

US: Helmets, roadway conditions and weather: what makes an impact on motorcycle fatalities
Most research studies have led to the conclusion that wearing helmets does make a difference in decreasing fatalities and head injuries for motorcycle riders. Some have pointed out that other factors such as population density, weather (temperature and precipitation), rider chracteristics (age, risk perception), and crash characteristics such as speed and the influence of alcohol, also play an important role in influencing helmet wearing and, in turn, motorcycle fatalities and injuries. read more

Viet Nam: Media and Motorcycle Helmets
In 2007, Viet Nam required all motorcyclists to wear helmets, all the time and under all conditions. This wasn’t the first time that a national requirement to wear helmets had been made in Viet Nam. The first regulation was passed in 2001. At that time, however, there was little coordinated effort to inform the public of the law, explain why helmets were needed, and enforce helmet wearing. read more

US: Differences in the way bicycle commuters and recreational riders think about bicycle helmets
A recent study by Kakefuda and his colleagues in Colorado found that college students’ attitudes and practices towards using bicycle helmets varied according to the kind of riding they did. National surveys indicate that the percentage of college age (16-24) riders who wear bicycle helmets varied between 5 and 27%. But in a self-reported survey conducted by Kakefuda, wearing rates varied depending on the type of riding. Among college students who commuted back and forth to school wore, helmets wearing rate was 9.4%. However, among students who rode bicycles for recreation, the helmet waering rate was 36.5%. The researchers probed more deeply into the bicyclists’ attitudes towards helmets to try to explain this difference in wearing rate. read more

Review Article: Correct bicycle helmet wearing
Although bicycle helmets effectively help prevent injuries and reduce morbidity and mortality, they must fit correctly to work. read more

Vietnam: Mandatory motorcycle laws and children
In 2007, Vietnam passed sweeping legislation that required all riders of motorcycles to wear helmets at all times and on all highways. This law was passed in response to escalating numbers of deaths and injuries that were occurring to motorcycle riders. The law made no specific exemptions for children, however, but in Vietnam because of a national Ordinance for Administrative Sancations, children under 14 years of age cannot be sanctioned or penalized. Children between 14 and 15 years old can only be given warnings, and those 16-18 can be penalized but are fined at half the rates of adults. There is no provision for penalties for the adult responsible for a child not wearing a helmet. This is in contrast to other countries such as Australia, Malaysia and Cambodia. read more

Special Issue of WHO Bulletin on Childhood Injuries and Violence
In May, 2009, The Bulletin of the World Health Organization devoted the entireissuetochildhood injuries and violence. read more