Ingen nyhet att hjälmkampanjer skadar folkhälsan

Foto © Franz-Michael S. Mellbin

OECD har en trafikavdelning som heter ITF, International Transport Forum, och 2013 gjorde de en rapport om cykelsäkerhet. De gör 18 rekommendationer, men ingen av dem handlar om hjälmar. Däremot avråder de från skrämselkampanjer.

ITF går också igenom forskningen som visar att cyklister lever längre, eftersom hälsoeffekten av cykling överstiger skaderisken. Den forskningen är etablerad, och konflikten mellan hälsa och hjälmkampanjer påpekades redan 1993 av Mayer Hillman på Policy Studies Institute:

Cycle helmets: the case for and against
An analysis based on the life expectancy of each cyclist killed in road accidents using actuarial data, and the increased longevity of those engaging in exercise regimes several times a week compared with those leading relatively sedentary lives, has shown that, even in the current cycle-hostile environment, the benefits in terms of life years gained, outweigh life years lost in cycling fatalities by a factor of around 20 to 1 (Hillman, Op.cif.). In these terms, a price is paid in not promoting cycling.

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Second, as has been seen in Australia, mandatory wearing discourages people from cycling.

Och det bekräftas nu av ITF:

Cycling, Health and Safety. ITF/OECD
Recommendation 14: Cycle safety plans should address safety improvement and the improvement of perceived safety.
Policy seeking to increase cycling and improve safety must approach safety with two interlinked objectives: reducing actual crash rates and their severity and, crucially, increasing the perception of safety for potential cyclists. If citizens don't feel safe cycling – then they will not ride if there is an alternative they perceive as safer.

De som fortfarande gillar hjälmkampanjer och hjälmlagar har alltså anledning att uppdatera sig på de senaste 20 årens forskning.