Wearing Helmet Necessary for Children on Tricycles: Study

Since long we have been suggesting children to wear helmets when they ride a bike. But now scientists have said wearing a helmet is equally necessary if riding a tricycle.

As per the estimates of the study published in the journal Pediatrics, there were about 9,340 cases of tricycle-related accidents that sent children to emergency rooms in 2012 and 2013.

Researchers after analyzing the data noted that the most common body part that injured during tricycle-related accidents included a child’s head.

Study’s co-author Sean Bandzar, a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia, said he noticed that some of his small patients came with laceration to the face after riding accidents.

Using the data collected from 100 emergency rooms for the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, researchers found that more commonly boys turned up in the emergency room than girls.

Researchers also found that two-year-olds seem to have the most accidents, although there were tricycle injuries for children up to age of seven. The most common bone that broke during injury was the elbow and the most common injury overall was a cut on the face.

Bandzar said, “We really feel strongly that the child should be able to ride in an environment free of hazards. Have them ride away from the street and away from water”.

Dr. Gary Smith, an emergency room doctor in Ohio, said he thinks the study is a good start. He said he doesn’t recommend elbow pads, but helmets are a must for his own children any time they take a ride.