Fewer than 1 out of 10 bicyclists wear helmets. Three-fourths of ATV drivers with head injuries were not wearing helmets. There are several nationally-recognized voluntary safety standards for helmets. These standards require helmets to absorb the energy of an impact to lessen or prevent head injuries. Crushable, expanded plastic foam can serve this purpose.
Many helmets also have a hard outer shell to protect against collision with a sharp object.
To reduce head injuries, bicyclists, ATV riders, horseback riders, and skiers should wear the helmet appropriate for each activity. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. If you would like to receive CPSC's recall notices, subscribing to the email list will send all press releases to you the day they are issued. This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission.