Research Impact: The effectiveness of bicycle helmet use in preventing head injuries has been well documented. Mandatory helmet-use legislation is present in multiple countries including New Zealand. However, studies examining factors associated with adolescents’ perception that they would cycle to school more often if helmet legislation was repealed are scant. This study examined these factors in a sample of New Zealand adolescents. One in five adolescents perceived helmet use to be a barrier to cycling to school. Diverse demographic and interpersonal factors as well as environmental characteristics were associated with this perception. The present findings can be used to design educational and public health interventions to influence adolescents’ attitudes towards helmet use.
Molina-García J, Queralt A, Bengoechea EG, Moore A, Mandic S. Would New Zealand adolescents cycle to school more if allowed to cycle without a helmet? Journal of Transport and Health 11 (2018) 64-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2018.10.001
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