Wearing a bicycle helmet may not seem like the cool thing to do, but if you want to protect yourself, wearing a bicycle helmet every time that you ride your bike is essential. Here are ten reasons to wear a bike helmet.
1. Protect Your Head and Brain
Injuries to the head are one of the main causes of death and traumatic brain injury for cyclists in traffic accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, bicycle helmets are 85 to 88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries. This fact makes helmets the single most effective way to reduce your risk of a traumatic brain injury or death.
2. Improve Your Ability to See
When the weather is less than ideal, and precipitation is part of your bike ride, a helmet can improve your capacity to see other drivers on the road, as well as potential hazards, by keeping water or snow out of your eyes (when the helmet has a visor). On the same note, a helmet with a visor can also help to shade your face, improving your vision by mitigating the effects of sunlight in your eyes.
3. You’ll Be Following the highway code
There is no British law to compel cyclists, of any age, to wear helmets when cycling, however the Highway Code suggests that cyclists should wear a cycle helmet “which conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened.”
4. Set an Example for Your Children
If you are a parent, wearing a helmet is not only necessary for your health and safety, but also for that of your kids. By enforcing the use of helmets with your home, you can save your life and the life of your child.
In addition to setting an example for your children, wearing a helmet can also help to encourage helmet use amongst others.
5. Keep Your Head Warm and Dry
If you are bike riding at a time of year when the weather is wet or chilly, a bicycle helmet can help to keep your head nice and dry. In turn, this can contribute to trapping escaping heat from your body, aiding in keeping you warm and comfortable while riding.
6. Improve Your Visibility for Others on the Road
Not only will a helmet help to improve your visibility (i.e. help you be able to see others), but wearing a helmet can also contribute to make you more visible to other drivers. When choosing a helmet, opt for a brightly coloured one. Or, add reflective tape to your helmet to help drivers to see you when it is dark out.
7. Protect Your Face
Not only does a helmet protect your brain and your head, but it can also protect your face, too. While it is uncommon for facial injuries to be fatal, they can be extremely painful, disfiguring, and need significant medical intervention to correct.
8. Avoid High Medical Bills
If you are in a bike accident, and you are not wearing a helmet, your risk of having gigantic medical bills is much higher. These medical bills might not only be immediate but also long-lasting. If you suffer a brain injury, you may be unable to function on your own for the remainder of your life, or may require intensive and long-term therapy, which can be costly.
9. Be Stylish
Wearing a helmet does not have to be an unattractive or bland thing to do; you can show off your personal style by choosing a helmet that fits your personality, or adding stickers, decals, etc. to it. To incentivize your children to wear their helmets, let them choose their color, design, etc. as well.
Take a look at our huge range of stylish and more importantly high quality, safe helmets.
