By John Vazquez, Denver Health Paramedic

“Helmets save lives.” It’s a slogan you’ve almost certainly heard before. The problem with slogans is that even when they’re true — as this one most certainly is — they don’t convey much information, which makes them easy to ignore.

Helmets do save lives, and not only for motorcyclists, scooter riders and users of other motorized vehicles. Helmets should be worn when bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, rollerblading, skateboarding and rock climbing. Helmets save lives, preserve quality of life and saves money.

Nationally in 2005, 784 bicyclists were killed and 45,000 injured. Nearly one-third of bicyclist killed in these traffic crashes were between 5 and 15 years old. Each year in Colorado, an average of 11 bicyclists are killed and 540 hospitalized.

Head injury is the leading cause of death and serious disability resulting from wheeled sports. Head injuries account for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths and more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions.

These are people with jobs and families, people like you, whose decision to wear a helmet means they are still around for the ones they love.

If the risk of death isn’t strong enough motivation, keep in mind that not everyone who sustains a traumatic brain injury dies. Every year nearly 90,000 Americans sustain permanent or long-term disability from a head injury. In addition to financial cost and loss of a productive life, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can result in significant costs to families that cannot be measure in dollars. At least 5.3 million people in the US need lifelong help with daily activities, such as bathing and eating, because of a traumatic brain injury.

Research suggests that helmet use may decrease the occurrence of serious TBIs by as much as 50 percent. Bicycle helmets are 88 percent effective in preventing brain injuries.  Only about 20-25 percent of all bicyclists wear helmets.

While bicycle safety equipment including a helmet can be expensive, think of the consequences of not wearing a helmet. Every dollar spent on a bicycle helmet saves society $30 in indirect medical costs. An estimated annual cost of bicycle-related injuries and deaths for all ages is $8 billion a year.

Youngsters ages 15 to 19 are at highest risk of any age group for TBI, and they are also the group least likely to wear helmets. The two most valuable things parents can do to keep their kids safe are to develop good helmet habits when children are young, and to be good examples. Research shows that when parents wear helmets, kids do too.

Whatever reason you choose, be sure to wear a helmet every time you bicycle, ski/snowboard, motorcycle, roller blade, skateboard or ride horseback; make your whole family safe by requiring helmets every time. Remember, helmets are the seatbelt for your brain.