If you’ve ever witnessed a boxing match or a football game, it’s hard to understand how riding a simple bicycle could be the leading sport for traumatic head injuries.  However, according to a recent article in the New York Times, it’s true.

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, cycling accidents played a role in approximately 86,000 of the 447,000 sports-related head injuries treated in emergency rooms in 2009.  In second place, football accounted for 47,000 of the head injuries, and baseball came in third place at 38,394.  Cycling was also the leading cause of head injuries related to sports in children under the age of 14.  Those children had 40,272 injuries, which is about double the number of head injuries in similarly aged children experienced in football.

Experts say the reason why is that bicycling is so prevalent in our society and also because cyclists are very lax about taking precautions such as using a helmet.  Further, unlike other sports, bicycles share the road with automobiles, which increases the chance for head injuries.  Such collisions often result in very serious injuries, especially to unprotected heads.  Almost 90 percent of bicyclists killed in the United States in 2009 were not wearing helmets, and a majority of those were middle-aged men.

So, what can you do to stay safe on your bike?  Wear a helmet, ride in marked bicycle lanes, wear bright-colored or reflective clothing, and know and follow the rules of the road.

If you are ever in a bicycle accident and sustain serious head injuries or other injuries, consulting with an experienced Tucson bicycle accident lawyer can help preserve your legal rights to obtain compensation for your injuries.