The Case for Helmets: Safety First

Every time you hop on a bicycle, a few steps are taken before you begin your ride. First, you secure your feet into the pedals. Next, you plop on the seat. Seems like you’re ready to go! Or are you? Did you forget about clipping your helmet to your head?

Legally, In Colorado, wearing a helmet on a bicycle is completely up to the discretion of the cyclist. Logically, however, the decision seems fairly one-sided.

A recent column from Vail Daily, Two things about helmets, provides some insight on the importance of wearing a helmet when biking.

Vail Daily acknowledged that Colorado is one of 13 states that imposes no law requiring helmets for cyclists. Still, its comprehensive analysis emphasized two major findings. One, in a bike collision, the odds of suffering a head injury are significantly reduced when wearing a helmet. Two, in the event of a head injury from a bike collision, the likelihood that the injury will be fatal is significantly reduced when wearing a helmet. Furthermore, data from 2022 revealed that 130,000 bicyclists are injured annually and 1,005 of the bicyclists were killed.

Bicycling is a significant driver that keeps the Colorado tourism industry on trail. Consequently, many of thousands of tourists who come to ride Colorado’s beautiful landscapes are unfamiliar with their routes. Remember, when you are on the road, whether riding a bike or driving a car, keep a look out for everyone nearby; their safety is in your hands, and your safety is in theirs. And if you are hopping on that bike, just wear a helmet!