{"id":282,"date":"2015-05-21T11:23:45","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T10:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/?p=282"},"modified":"2018-05-18T10:16:45","modified_gmt":"2018-05-18T09:16:45","slug":"why-wear-a-helmet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/why-wear-a-helmet\/","title":{"rendered":"Why wear a helmet?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever ridden a bike without putting a helmet on first? Most of us are guilty of riding without full protection on but are you aware of the risks? There\u2019s nothing like the feeling of the wind on your hair as you cycle in the country side on a hot summers day is there? This might sound very romantic but the truth is, you\u2019re putting yourself in danger for little benefit.<\/p>\n

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself every time you hop in the saddle:<\/p>\n

1. Is the risk really worth it?<\/h4>\n

Crashes can happen to even the most experienced of riders. In fact, the more experienced you are the more confident and less focused you become. An accident can take a split second but have long lasting effects. Wearing a helmet won\u2019t mean you\u2019ll be accident proof \u2013 but it does mean any impact to your head will be absorbed and lessened. What would you rather \u2013 a damaged helmet or a damaged brain?<\/p>\n

2. Who\u2019s more likely to get hurt?<\/h4>\n

In 2013 statistics show that 109 people in total were killed in a cycling incident. Many believe that children are the most accident prone but only 3 of these were children and the rest being adults. It\u2019s instinctual to put a child\u2019s safety above our own but it is important to always remember to protect ourselves too.<\/p>\n

3. What\u2019s worse?<\/h4>\n

Many of you may read that last statistic and think it\u2019s pretty low. However, how many people do you think get seriously injured in a cycling incident? The answer is 3143. The majority being adults at 2867. Sometimes, being seriously injured can impact the rest of someone\u2019s life whether it affects their mobility, their brain function or their confidence. Out of a total 19438 cycling accidents only 16186 are slightly injured. This leaves a whole chunk of people who are seriously injured or killed.<\/p>\n

Use your head<\/h4>\n

Hospital data suggests that 40% of adult cyclists and 45% of child cyclists suffer head injuries. This isn\u2019t just a bump to the head, the category of head injuries can range from minor concussion, to brain damage to fatal skull fractures. Despite the facts and figures only 20-25% of all cyclists wear helmets.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to be another accident statistic there are few simple measures you can take to be in control of your safety:<\/p>\n

\"helmet-bicycle-safety\"

Top tips to stay safe when cycling<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2022 Always wear a helmet<\/span> \u2013
\nThere are plenty of studies proving and disproving the effectiveness of wearing a helmet but when it really comes down to it, do you want you or your child to be the ones to find out?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Obey all traffic laws and lights<\/span> \u2013
\nThe age old grudge between cyclists and drivers looks unlikely to ever end. Make sure you obey all the correct procedures and pre-empt others actions to maximise your own safety.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Act like a car<\/span> –
\nDrivers are familiar with the behaviour of other drivers and expect bikes to be the same. Unexpected movements can knock a driver\u2019s confidence causing accidents. The more predictable and obvious you are the safer you will be. Always stay alert and be aware of traffic around you.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Use hand signals<\/span> \u2013
\nThis is a key cycling safety point that many ignore or forget. Not only is it useful for motorists to know where you\u2019re going, it\u2019s also useful for pedestrians too. Particularly at junctions and round abouts where you are cutting across traffic, it\u2019s always better to be safe than sorry.<\/p>\n

Those are our top tips for staying safe in the saddle. There might seem like a lot to think about when choosing to cycle but it\u2019s simple really, don\u2019t take risks with your safety. Don\u2019t be put off, cycling is extremely beneficial for your health, the environment and much more.<\/p>\n

Stay safe!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever ridden a bike without putting a helmet on first? Most of us are guilty of riding without full protection on but are you aware of the risks? There\u2019s nothing like the feeling of the wind on your hair as you cycle in the country side on a hot summers day is there? This might sound very romantic but the truth is, you\u2019re putting yourself in danger for little benefit. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself every time you hop in the saddle: 1. Is the risk really worth it? Crashes can happen to even the most… Read more <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,4],"tags":[5,59],"class_list":["post-282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle-safety","category-cycling-news","tag-cycling","tag-helmet"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy wear a helmet? - Cycle Shelters Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We take a look at the for and against arguments for wearing a helmet when cycling.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/why-wear-a-helmet\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why wear a helmet? 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