Cycle helmets effective, says manufacturer

Wearing a cycle helmet has become the norm, says David Bennett.

A Wanganui manufacturer, who has built an international reputation for safety helmets, is alarmed at comments questioning the protection provided by cycle helmets.

David Bennett, executive chairman of Pacific Safety International Ltd, was highly critical of a British neurosurgeon who claimed in those countries where bike helmets are compulsory there had been no reduction of bike injuries.

Henry Marsh was reported as saying he never wore a helmet and saw lots of people in bike accidents "and these flimsy little helmets don't help".

"Obviously, this doctor is seriously misinformed, especially as far as the evidence of the reduction of cycle deaths and injuries in New Zealand is concerned," Mr Bennett said.

"As far as the issue of other body injuries from a bike accident, obviously the helmet is unlikely to protect more than the head and neck, but it is here that the evidence is uncontestable," he said.

He said while a Department of Transport study in the UK suggested that helmets could prevent 10-16 per cent of cyclist fatalities, in New Zealand the evidence was that the savings were much higher than that.

The worst year for cycle deaths in NZ was 1957, where 41 people died from cycling injuries. From 1990, when wearing a helmet started to become popular, the number of cycle deaths reduced steadily from 27 to 17 in four years.

Wearing a cycle helmet became compulsory in NZ on January 1, 1994 and that year the deaths reduced still further to 15, to as low as 6 in 2003, and an average between 1994 to 2013 of 11. That was an average reduction of 60 per cent.

Mr Bennett said any death was both a personal and family tragedy "but I count this reduction in deaths a major success story".

"Not only did deaths reduce, the serious head injuries reduced to less serious, and it's very likely that what would have been minor injuries were reduced or eliminated entirely," he said.

His company no longer has any financial interest in cycle helmet sales.

Before 1994, Mr Bennett's company, then known as Pacific Helmets, assisted the "Helmet Lady" Rebecca Oaten and a trust supporting her in a campaign to make helmets acceptable. It was a campaign he rated as "one of our most important and successful life-saving initiatives".

Mrs Oaten had campaigned since the mid-1980s after her son Aaron was left a quadriplegic after he was knocked from his bike on his way to school. He died a few years ago.

She went from school to school warning young people of the dangers but Mr Bennett pointed out to the trust that preaching the message was not sufficient to bring about change. He said cheap but standards-certified safety helmets were the answer.

"It was an outstanding success, and for $30 parents could get a very safe helmet, while schools and the trust made $3 each. And very soon the pressure was on the Government to make wearing the helmets compulsory and by 1992 the decision was made," he said.

He said cyclists should buy only certified helmets. The helmets should be replaced about every five years as the polystyrene impact liner can harden with age and reduce the level of impact protection.

Helmets should have external reflective tape, be properly set on the head especially covering the front of the head and the temples, with the chin strap firmly secured.