文章基本信息

标题：Helmet Wearing Among Users of a Public Bicycle-Sharing Program in the District of Columbia and Comparable Riders on Personal Bicycles
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作者：John D. Kraemer ; Jason S. Roffenbender ; Laura Anderko 等
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2012
卷号：102
期号：8
页码：e23-e25
DOI：10.2105/AJPH.2012.300794
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：Bicycle-sharing programs are increasingly popular and have the potential to increase physical activity and decrease air pollution, but anecdotal evidence suggests helmet use is lower among users of bicycle-sharing programs than cyclists on private bicycles. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess helmet use among users of a bicycle-sharing program in Washington, DC. Helmet use was significantly lower among cyclists on shared bicycles than private bicycles, highlighting a need for targeted helmet promotion activities. One of the largest bicycle-sharing programs in the United States is the Washington, DC, metropolitan area’s Capital Bikeshare. With its rapid expansion 1 and the anticipated debuts and expansions of large-scale bicycle sharing programs in New York City 2 and Chicago 3 in summer 2012, cyclist safety is paramount. Bicycle sharing sits at the intersections of physical activity, environmental health, and injury prevention. The health benefits of cycling are well documented, 4–6 as are the environmental benefits of active modes of transportation in urban areas. 7 A mathematical model of the health impacts of the bicycle-sharing program in Barcelona, Spain, suggests that expanding bicycle sharing will extend longevity, with health benefits from physical activity and reduced air pollution outweighing a small increase in crash deaths. 8 However, these benefits depend on the use of safety precautions. It is unclear whether persons using bicycle-sharing programs are at a greater or lesser risk of injury than other cyclists. The bicycles used by Capital Bikeshare and similar programs have design features to reduce the risk of crashes, including built-in lights, reflectors, and a low center of gravity. 9 Crashes among users of Capital Bikeshare are reported to be lower than for other cyclists, 10 but likely underreported. In the event of a crash, though, bicycle helmets greatly reduce the risk of injury 11 and death, 12 and anecdotal evidence suggests that Capital Bikeshare riders use helmets at a low rate. 10 To date, helmet-use rates in the Capital Bikeshare program or other bicycle-sharing programs have not been evaluated in comparison with cyclists on private bicycles.