Working Paper: NBER ID: w18773
Authors: Pinka Chatterji; Sara Markowitz
Abstract: Cycling is popular among children, but results in thousands of injuries annually. In recent years, many states and localities have enacted bicycle helmet laws. We examine direct and indirect effects of these laws on injuries. 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.
Keywords: bicycle helmet laws; children's injuries; public health; safety legislation
JEL Codes: I0; K0
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reduction in bicycle-related head injuries (R48) | Decreased ridership (R48) |
| Helmet laws (R48) | Improved safety practices among riders (R48) |
| Helmet laws (R48) | Reduction in bicycle-related head injuries (R48) |
| Helmet laws (R48) | Reduction in non-head bicycle-related injuries (R48) |
| Helmet laws (R48) | Increase in injuries from other wheeled sports (Z29) |