Risk Compensation: A Male Phenomenon? Results From a Controlled Intervention Trial Promoting Helmet Use Among Cyclists

Messiah, Antoine; Constant, Aymery; Contrand, Benjamin; Félonneau, Marie-Line; Lagarde, Emmanuel

doi:10.2105/ajph.2012.300711

Cited by 31 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…There is evidence of behaviour modification associated with helmet wearing in other studies. These have shown that regular helmet wearers decrease their cycling speed when not wearing a helmet [3], that male cyclists slightly increase speed in low speed areas when wearing a helmet [4], unhelmeted cyclists are more likely to commit a traffic violation [5], [6] and that some drivers believe helmet wearers cycling alone may behave more predictably than non-helmet wearers [7]. Despite Walker's hypothesis, there is no clear evidence helmet wearing leads to an increase in injury risk for the cyclist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bicycle Helmet Wearing Is Not Associated with Close Motor Vehicle Passing: A Re-Analysis of Walker, 2007

Olivier

Walter

2013

PLoS ONE

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ObjectivesTo re-analyse bicycle overtaking data collected by Walker (2007) with a view to assess factors associated with close passing (<1 m), to adjust for other observed factors in a multivariable analysis, and to assess the extent to which the sample size in the original analysis may have contributed to spurious results.MethodA re-analysis of 2,355 motor vehicle passing events recorded by Walker that includes information on cyclist's distance to the kerb, vehicle size and colour, city of observation, time of day, whether the event occurred while in a bikelane and helmet wearing. Each variable was considered for a final, multivariable model using purposeful selection of variables. The analysis was repeated using multiple logistic regression with passing distance dichotomised by the one metre rule. Bootstrap p-values were computed using sample sizes computed from conventional values of power and effect size.ResultsThe previously observed significant association between passing distance and helmet wearing was not found when dichotomised by the one metre rule. Other factors were found to be significantly associated with close passing including cyclists' distance to the kerb, vehicle size and city of observation (Salisbury or Bristol, UK). P-values from bootstrap samples indicate the significance of helmet wearing resulted from an overly large sample size.ConclusionsAfter re-analysis of Walker's data, helmet wearing is not associated with close motor vehicle passing. The results, however, highlight other more important factors that may inform effective bicycle safety strategies.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bicycle Helmet Wearing Is Not Associated with Close Motor Vehicle Passing: A Re-Analysis of Walker, 2007

Olivier

Walter

2013

PLoS ONE

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“…The conclusion "Risk compensation, observed only among male cyclists, was moderate, thus unlikely to offset helmet preventive efficacy." [35].…”

Section: Bicycle and Motorcycle Helmetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Compensation: Revisited and Rebutted

Pless

2016

Safety

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This Commentary addresses the ongoing disagreements between many safety advocates who endorse traditional models of prevention and those who oppose them, arguing that safety measures are offset by risk compensation (RCT). The debate is especially heated with respect to regulatory or legislative prevention measures. After explaining the rationale behind risk compensation (aka risk homeostasis theory) (RHT), I provide examples of RCT studies to explain why I believe they should be rejected. The main basis for my rebuttal, however, rests on data that show steady declines in unintentional injury mortality, which, according to RCT, should not have occurred. There are many other reasons for rejecting this theory, and it seems that the time has come for the debate to finally be concluded.

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“…Risk compensation and bicycle helmets: A false conclusion and uncritical citations. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology andBehaviour, 58, 548-555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.06.038 In this paper, we demonstrate how one of the rare experimental studies aimed at studying risk compensation and bicycle helmets arrives at a false conclusion (Messiah et al, 2012). It is, nevertheless, cited as evidence that helmeted (male) cyclists take more risks while riding a bike compared with those who ride without a helmet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Risk compensation and bicycle helmets: A false conclusion and uncritical citations. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology andBehaviour, 58, 548-555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.06.038 While we wait and call for more rigorous studies to examine possible risk compensation among those who voluntarily choose (and/or are 'forced' by legislation) to wear a bicycle helmet, we urge other researchers to stop citing Messiah et al (2012) as evidence of risk compensation. However, we are not very optimistic that this will actually happen, knowing that even retracted publications continue to be cited and in a positive context (Bar-Ilan & Halevi, 2017).…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk compensation and bicycle helmets: A false conclusion and uncritical citations

Radun

Esmaeilikia

et al. 2018

Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviou

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Some researchers and many anti-helmet advocates often state that when cyclists wear a helmet they feel safer and take more risks. This hypothesis-risk compensation-if true, would reduce, annul or even reverse the assumed benefits of helmets in reducing head injuries. Consequently, this hypothesis is often used to oppose mandatory helmet laws. In this article, we illustrate how one of the few studies that attempted to experimentally test the hypothesis in relation to bicycle helmets arrives at a false conclusion. As a result it is often cited as evidence of risk compensation. Given the lack of experimental studies in this research area, the impact of a single study in shaping the opinions of the general public and of policy makers can be significant.

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Risk Compensation: A Male Phenomenon? Results From a Controlled Intervention Trial Promoting Helmet Use Among Cyclists

Cited by 31 publications

References 33 publications

Bicycle Helmet Wearing Is Not Associated with Close Motor Vehicle Passing: A Re-Analysis of Walker, 2007

Bicycle Helmet Wearing Is Not Associated with Close Motor Vehicle Passing: A Re-Analysis of Walker, 2007

Risk Compensation: Revisited and Rebutted

Risk compensation and bicycle helmets: A false conclusion and uncritical citations

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