"Scott Elliot" <19elliot46@telus.net> wrote in message news:<2rBCc.17875$mm3.1603@clgrps13>...
> We have had mandatory bicycle helmet legislation in British Columbia, Canada
> since 1992. You still see people riding without helmets and we still have
> many people killed or brain damaged each year as a result.
As a result of what?
Comparing BC data for 1995 and 1997, the two full years before and
after the helmet law was introduced in September 1996, head injuries
decreased by 29% a lower reduction than non-head injuries which
decreased by 36%. Were helmets responsible for decreasing non-head
injuries too?
These declines were undoubtedly partly from other safety measures
introduced around the same time such as a crackdown on speeding using
photo radar as pedestrian injuries decreased also, by 7%. But probably
the greatest influence in the reduction of injuries was the reduction
in cycling because of aggressive police enforcement of the law.
Interestingly, since the law was introduced to 2002 (latest available
data)helmeted rider deaths continue to outstrip unhelmeted rider
deaths 18 to 16. In Canada as a whole there is no evidence that helmet
use has had any effect on fatality rates. See Fatality Trends at:
http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc
> Legislation may help and effective enforcement might help even more, but in
> the long term it is impossible to help people who refuse to help themselves.
I am not sure you are qaulified to give unsolicited advice to others.
It would appear you are not familiar with facts from your own back
yard and you are rearing a couple of completely incompetent young
cyclists. (see below)
> I have insisted that my children wear helmets since they started cycling
> with me at very young ages, before the legislation was even considered. My
> daughter has only destroyed 2 or 3 helmets. My son who is now a competitor
> in both road and off-road racing has destroyed more helmets than he can
> count. Thanks to helmets both of them are functioning adults and not
> vegetables.
I wouldn't be so proud of such an appalling record. My kids grew up
without helmets but of course they were properly instructed in bicycle
handling skills.
I suggest you take your parenting responsibilities seriously and
quickly get your children cycling instructions.
Vance C.
Canada
>
> Scott Elliot
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