Cycle Helmet Statistics
David Burgess made this Official Information request to Ministry of Transport
The request was successful.
From: David Burgess
Dear Ministry of Transport,
In the Christchurch Press of 2 December 2012 the Ministry of Transport was quoted "A 2011 Ministry of Transport survey found 93 per cent of cyclists wore helmets. The ministry advises that helmets reduce the risk of brain injury by up to 88 per cent."
The data on the risk of brain injury would appear to be an unlikely statistic.
All recent studies show cycle helmets to be of little or no use in preventing head injuries and the New Zealand Medical Association credits compulsory cycle helmet usage with 54 premature deaths per year.
My questions:
(1) What is the source of the data given that it is so much at odds with other studies ?
(2) Is it an overseas study ? If so why was an oversea study used when excellent work has been done in Australia and New Zealand by Sage, Robinison et al.
(3) If helmets are intended to improve public health, why is the ministry (in light of the NZMA findings) not working on removal of the cycle helmet regulations for an average 54 person per year life saving ?
Yours faithfully,
David Burgess
From: Tania Ditchburn
Ministry of Transport
Dear Mr Burgess
I acknowledge your email of 6 January 2013, requesting, under the Official
Information Act:
“My questions:
(1) What is the source of the data given that it is so much at odds
with other studies ?
(2) Is it an overseas study ? If so why was an overseas study used
when excellent work has been done in Australia and New Zealand by
Sage, Robinison et al.
(3) If helmets are intended to improve public health, why is the
ministry (in light of the NZMA findings) not working on removal of the
cycle helmet regulations for an average 54 person per year life saving ?”
We will consider your request and respond appropriately, as per the
requirements of the Official Information Act 1982.
Tania Ditchburn
Official Correspondence Administrator
Ministry of Transport
Ph: (04) 439 9088
For CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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David Burgess left an annotation ()
Good morning Gavin. Please don't use use my annotations to my OIAs to promote your personal opinions. If you have factual data, you may link to it, but your dribble is not welcome, and is possibly in breach of FYI rules.
From: Mike James
Ministry of Transport
Dear Mr Burgess
Please find attached a response to your Official Information request dated
7 January 2013.
Kind regards
Mike James
General Manager Road and Rail
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Gavin Millar left an annotation ()
The NZMA study mentioned can be read here:
http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/125-1...
It's pretty brief and has some serious flaws and assumptions that put its conclusions in doubt. And note that it was produced by a UK based mechanical engineer.
WEAR A DAMN HELMET IF YOU HAVE THINGS IN YOUR SKULL WORTH SAVING
Link to this