Effect of the mandatory helmet law in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the impact of a mandatory motorcycle helmet law in Taiwan.


METHODS
Taiwan passed a mandatory helmet law in June 1997. Data were collected retrospectively from police reports, which include hospital data, to compare six months pre-law June to November 1996) with the same six months post-law (June to November 1997).


RESULTS
Motorcycle fatalities decreased 14% after the introduction of the helmet law. Head injury fatalities fell 22% while fatalities from injuries to other bodily areas rose 20%. Non-fatal motorcycle injuries fell 31%. Non-fatal head injuries fell 44%; non-fatal injuries to other body parts fell 23%.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that large, immediate public health benefits resulted from the mandatory motorcycle helmet law in Taiwan.
Tsai
M C
MC
Department of Emergency Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan.
Hemenway
D
D
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology