The role of helmets in reducing head injuries from motorcycle accidents: a political or medical issue?

The cases of 311 motorcycle accident victims who were seen at a major trauma center over 17 months were reviewed. The types and severity of injuries were standardized according to the Injury Severity Score (ISS) for motor vehicle accidents. Victims were categorized into groups: helmet or no helmet and major, minor or no head injury. Major injury was defined as a 3 on the Abbreviated Injury Scale for "head" (loss of consciousness for at least 15 minutes with or without skull fracture and with or without neurological deficit). THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN: (1) The death rate for those with and without helmets was not significantly different, (2) the victims of fatal accidents had identical total ISS scores regardless of the presence of helmets, (3) the chance of sustaining a severe head injury was significantly higher in the no helmet group and (4) the incidence of long-term neurological defect was three times greater in the no helmet group.