The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling for bicyclists across the U.S. to wear helmets in a bid to reduce the number of fatalities on the country\u2019s roads.<\/p>\n
In the NTSB\u2019s first examination of bicyclist safety since 1972, the agency recommended all \u201c50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, require that all persons wear a helmet while riding a bicycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is one of the \u201ccritical changes\u201d the report calls for to address the recent rise in fatal bicycle crashes involving motor vehicles, even as overall traffic deaths fell in 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we do not act to mitigate head injury for more bicyclists, additional bicyclists will die,\u201d said NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt.<\/p>\n
The report states that less than half of bicyclists wear helmets and that head injuries are the leading cause of bicyclist fatalities. Investigators say the use of a helmet is the single most effective way for riders to reduce their chances of receiving a serious head injury.<\/p>\n
According to NTSB investigators, the most frequent type of fatal collisions involving bicyclists occur while a motorist is overtaking a bicyclist in the stretches of roadway between intersections, prompting calls for separated bike lanes.<\/p>\n
The report also recommends improving roadway design and increasing the visibility of bicyclists to reduce both fatal and serious crashes.<\/p>\n