IS HELMET USE BENEFICIAL TO MOTORCYCLISTS?

Abstract

This study included 83 motorcyclists, helmeted and nonhelmeted, involved in crashes. All these patients were flown to a major trauma center in the Northeast (Hartford Hospital, Connecticut) directly from the scene by a helicopter ambulance service (LifeStar). The study showed that the majority of these patients were male and under the age of 30 years. Twenty-seven had blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. Sixty-nine percent were nonhelmeted and, statistically, a significant number in this category had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8 or under. Cervical spine injuries were discovered in only six patients. Nine of the ten patients declared dead on arrival (DOA) were nonhelmeted. We conclude that helmets provide protection and certainly do not increase the incidence of cervical spine injuries.