Two studies in the December issue of Pediatrics examine the burden of motorcycle-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in adolescents and the impact of helmet laws.
In “Youth Motorcycle-Related Hospitalizations and Traumatic Brain Injuries in the United States in 2006,” published online Nov. 15, researchers examined cases from the 2006 Kids’ Inpatient Database, a sample of inpatient discharges for U.S. patients from 38 states. Motorcycle-related crashes accounted for 3 percent of all hospitalized injuries for youth ages 12 to 20 in the U.S. in 2006.
Out of 5,662 motorcycle-related hospital discharges in this age group, roughly one-third of patients sustained a TBI. Among patients with TBIs, the odds of long-term disability were 24 percent. Patients with TBIs were also 10 times more likely to die in the hospital than patients without a TBI.
In the second study, “Youth Motorcycle-Related Brain Injury by State Helmet Law Type: United States, 2005-2007,” also published online Nov. 15, the same research team compared TBI injuries among states with different helmet laws, including 17 states with universal helmet laws, six states with laws requiring helmets for youth younger than 21, and 12 states with laws for children younger than 18.
States with partial-age laws had higher proportions of severe TBI and in-hospital deaths among the young people they are supposed to protect. In states with an under-21 helmet law, the rate of motorcycle-related TBI among youth was 38 percent higher than in states with universal helmet laws.
Study authors conclude the only method known to keep helmet use high among young people is to adopt universal helmet laws.
