Please Wear a Bicycle Helmet
If a cyclist not wearing a helmet is hit by a car and the cyclist sustains a brain injury, any claim for compensation will be substantially reduced for contributory negligence because the cyclist was not wearing a helmet which is required by law.
If bicycle riders are riding without helmets they should provide the community with a waiver that says if they crash and as result sustain an acquired brain injury they won’t ask the community to pay the $20-30 million dollars it will cost to look after them for the rest of their life.
Helmet use reduces the risk of head injury by 85%, brain injury by 88% and severe brain injury by at least 75%. The protective effect of helmets for facial injury is 65% for the upper and mid facial regions.
The scientific evidence that bicycle helmets protect against head, brain, severe brain, and facial injuries has been well established. Bicycle helmets of all types that meet various national and international standards provide substantial protection for cyclists of all ages who are involved in a bicycle crash. This protection extends to crashes from a variety of causes (such as falls and collisions with fixed and moving objects) and includes crashes involving motor vehicles.
In NSW Bicycle riders must wear an approved helmet securely fitted and fastened. This includes children on bikes with training wheels and any child being carried as a passenger or in a bicycle trailer.
Don’t wear any caps or hats under your helmet. Doing so compromises the fit and safety of the helmet, as the hat or cap can push the helmet higher on your head, which can expose your skull in a fall or crash. You always must make sure your helmet is buckled up as not doing so can cause serious injury in the event of a crash.
Pillion Passengers
It would be wise to not carry a pillion passenger as the rider of the bike in the event of a crash could well be liable for injuries sustained by the pillion passenger. If you are going to carry a pillion passenger, please ensure they are wearing a helmet.