Helmets and Neck Injury Data

 In the 2013 study; "Helmets and Neck Injuries in Fatal Motorcycle Crashes" by Ouellet, Thom, Smith, and Hurt, the authors seem to find evidence that disputes NHTSA's often repeated denial that motorcycle helmets can cause neck or cervical injuries.  These authors have been working in the field for several decades, and this report is actually about a little known follow-up to the famous Hurt study completed in the 1980's.  This report shows that motorcyclists spinal cord and spinal column injuries changed in relation to the severity of the crash.  Helmeted motorcyclists showed a greater percentage of injuries than non-helmeted motorcyclists in four of the five categories shown in both high severity and lower severity impacts.  However it was most evident in the lower severity impact that these injury percentages increased dramatically, and mainly for helmeted motorcyclists.

In the high velocity impacts the percentages for injuries broke down this way
Spinal cord injury:  31.6% of helmeted riders, and 34.7% of non-helmeted riders
C1-C2 Fracture:      10.5% of helmeted riders, and 6,5% of non-helmeted riders
C3-C7 Fracture:      18.4% of helmeted riders, and 15,4% of non-helmeted riders
C1-C2 Subluxation
or Dislocation:         65.8% of helmeted riders, and 59.7% of non-helmeted riders
C3-C7 Subluxation
or Dislocation:         21.1% of helmeted riders, and 13.8% of non-helmeted riders

Even at these high severity impacts, it would seem to show a small but statistically higher percentage of helmeted riders receiving injuries than the non-helmeted riders.  Look at the difference in injury levels for each set of injuries for the lower severity impacts:

Spinal cord injury:  45.5% of helmeted riders, and 27.5% of non-helmeted riders
C1-C2 Fracture:      4.5% of helmeted riders, and 12.5% of non-helmeted riders
C3-C7 Fracture:      27.3% of helmeted riders, and 13.2% of non-helmeted riders
C1-C2 Subluxation
or Dislocation:         81.8% of helmeted riders, and 63.3% of non-helmeted riders
C3-C7 Subluxation
or Dislocation:         36.4% of helmeted riders, and 11.6% of non-helmeted riders

This same pattern of injury continues when looking at cervical soft tissue injury rates for helmeted and non-helmeted riders in high severity impacts:

Any Blood Vessel:  89.5% for helmeted riders, and 79.8% for non-helmeted riders
Vertebral Arteries:  50%    for helmeted riders, and 45.2% for non-helmeted riders 

Carotid Sheath:       73.7% for helmeted riders, and 53.2% for non-helmeted riders 

Nerve Plexus:         71.1% for helmeted riders, and 52.4% for non-helmeted riders

Neck Muscle:         71.1% for helmeted riders, and 58.9% for non-helmeted riders

Throat:                    15.8% for helmeted riders, and 18.5% for non-helmeted riders

The same pattern continues yet again when looking at these injuries due to low severity impacts:

Any Blood Vessel:  72.7% for helmeted riders, and 72.5% for non-helmeted riders
Vertebral Arteries:  50%    for helmeted riders, and 45.8% for non-helmeted riders 

Carotid Sheath:       50% for helmeted riders, and 43.3% for non-helmeted riders 

Nerve Plexus:         40.9% for helmeted riders, and 36.7% for non-helmeted riders

Neck Muscle:         59.1% for helmeted riders, and 55% for non-helmeted riders

Throat:                    27.3% for helmeted riders, and 12.5% for non-helmeted riders

According to the authors of the study, helmets seem to be associated injuries were "statistically significant, or bordering on significance are 1) C3-C7  subluxation-dislocation (but not C3-C7 spinal cord injuries); 2) hemorrhage in the carotid sheath; and 3) hemorrhage surrounding nerve trunks and plexes."  While most of these injuries may not be life threatening, they could lead to incapacitating injuries, with long term health consequences.  

By looking at these figures, surely a reasonable person would consider the risks of injury to the spinal cord or spinal column to be of enough consequence to warrant considering the viability of wearing a helmet on each individual opportunity to ride a motorcycle.  It should be up to the individual to decide what level of risk they are willing to take each and every time they wish to get on their personal motorcycle and ride.  It should not be left to groups of faceless bureaucracies to make that a blanket decision for all riders.  Especially when many of those same bureaucracies are attempting to reach a target of zero fatalities on the roads of Washington State within the next thirteen years.

Think about it.

I'll catch you on the road sometime,,,