title: Effects of bicycle helmet laws on children's injuries.
abstract: In recent years, many states and localities in the USA have enacted bicycle helmet laws. We estimate the effects of these laws on injuries requiring emergency department treatment. Using hospital-level panel data and triple difference models, we find helmet laws are associated with reductions in bicycle-related head injuries among children. However, laws also are associated with decreases in non-head cycling injuries, as well as increases in head injuries from other wheeled sports. Thus, the observed reduction in bicycle-related head injuries may be due to reductions in bicycle riding induced by the laws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Emory University, Altanta, Georgia, USA and NBER.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.forename: Pinka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chatterji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001642:Bicycling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: children; cycling; helmet laws; injuries