Head injury outcomes evaluation of a bicycle helmet law for children

Background. Bicycle helmets are 85% effective in protecting against head injury. The City of Tucson enacted an ordinance requiring children to wear a helmet. This quasi-experimental, population-based study evaluates this law's effectiveness. Hypotheses. Primary hypothesis: There will be a significant decrease in head injury occurrence in children after the helmet law. Secondary hypothesis H₂: There will be a significant decrease in head injury severity. Secondary hypothesis H₃: There will be a significant decrease in fatality due to head injury. Data collection. Trauma center trauma registry data, the hospital discharge data from other Tucson hospitals, and the medical examiner's case files. Data analysis. Chi square analysis of the proportion of head injury to all bike injuries, pre and post, revealed a significant drop in head injuries, confirming the primary hypothesis. Other analyses revealed a reduction in injury, but not to significant levels. Conclusion. The helmet law is effective