Helmet Use in BIXI Cyclists in Toronto, Canada: an Observational Study
(Bmj Open. 2012 Jun 18;2(3). Pii: E001049). Bonyun M, Camden A, Macarthur C, Howard A
Prepared by Matthew Stewart, MD, University of Utah Emergency Medicine Resident, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
BIXI is a bike-sharing initiative in Toronto targeting populations that require short-distance commuting in an effort to support sustainable transportation. Participants can rent bicycles from one of the many docking stations in the city; however, there is no requirement to wear helmets while on the bicycle. Additionally, helmets are not provided at the rental stations and cyclists older than 18 years are not required by law to wear a helmet in Ontario. This cross-sectional observational study compared helmet use for the bicycle-share program vs personal bike riders in Toronto, Canada. A total of 306 BIXI riders and 6426 personal bike riders were observed during commuting hours during a 2-month period. Cyclists using the bike-share program had a significantly lower rate of helmet use compared with personal bike users (20.9% vs 51.7%, respectively). Among both study populations, a greater proportion of bicyclists were male; however, women were more likely to wear helmets while cycling. As previously piloted in Melbourne, the authors propose a future helmet dispensing station adjacent to bike rentals to increase helmet use in Toronto. In conclusion, this study identified a potentially dangerous aspect of a bike-share program and an opportunity for future promotion of helmet use for injury prevention.