Letter: Wear helmets while riding e-bikes, scooters

As trauma coordinator at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, I’m alarmed at the increase in preventable injuries from bikes, scooters, and, increasingly, e-bikes and e-scooters so far this summer.

We are seeing more of these devices in our communities and, while you can likely spot a rider in your neighborhood on any given day, rarely do you see them wearing a helmet. From my firsthand experience, the consequences of not wearing a helmet can be devastating, with injuries ranging from life-altering traumatic brain injuries to truly tragic outcomes.

We need a cultural shift: wearing a helmet should be as automatic as buckling a seat belt.

The data is undeniable. Helmet use reduces the risk of head injury by up to 85% and brain injury by up to 88%. A 2024 Norwegian study found helmeted riders had a 72% lower chance of serious head injury in single-bike crashes and a 94% reduction in bike-to-bike collisions.

Despite this, helmet use remains inconsistent, especially with newer electric rideables popular with children. Kids should always wear a helmet as their developing brains and slower reflexes make them more susceptible to serious harm. Adults must lead by example – if we expect kids to wear helmets, we must wear them too.

Parents, schools, local leaders, and health care providers all have a role to play. At McHenry hospital, we’re committed to injury prevention – but we can’t do it alone.

Let’s make wearing helmets a habit – no matter who you are, where you’re going, or what you’re riding on.

Karen M. Battaglia, DNP, RN, CEN, TCRN, TNCC, TNS

Trauma Coordinator at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital