SynthesisAmerican journal of preventive medicine2017
Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws to Reduce Injuries: A Community Guide Systematic Review.
Synthesis in American journal of preventive medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- [Injury and death in motorcyclists: Umbrella review].Revista medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social · 2026Pooled it
- Motorcycle injuries: a systematic review for forensic evaluation.International journal of legal medicine · 2024Pooled it
- The Rising Burden of Motorcycle Crashes and Rider Injuries in Türkiye (2018-2025): An Ecological Analysis of Routinely Collected National Statistics with Implications for Injury Prevention and Trauma Care.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Motorized Two-Wheeled Vehicles Contribute Disproportionately to the Increase in Pandemic-Period Road Traffic Fatalities in New York State.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Measurement of the Burden of Road Injuries in Colombia, 1990-2021.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Observational
- Effect of reducing urban road speed limits on motorcyclist traffic accidents: a before-and-after study using the National Emergency Department Information System of South Korea.Journal of Yeungnam medical science · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of road safety interventions: An evidence and gap map.Campbell systematic reviews · 2024Article
- The Documentation of Injuries Caused by Traffic Accidents.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2024Review
- Injury patterns and outcomes in motorcycle passengers.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2023Article
- When the Helmet Is Not Enough: Forensic Multidisciplinary Reconstruction of a Deadly Motorcycle Accident.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Risk of hospital admission related to scooter trauma injuries: a national emergency room database study.BMC emergency medicine · 2022Article
- Factors associated with motorcycle-related road traffic crashes in Africa, a Scoping review from 2016 to 2022.BMC public health · 2022Article
- Comparison of physical and psychological health outcomes for motorcyclists and other road users after land transport crashes: an inception cohort study.BMC public health · 2021Article
- An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2021Review
- Results of a Campaign for Motorcycle Helmets Advocacy in a City in Southwest of Iran; A Population-Based Intervention Study.Bulletin of emergency and trauma · 2019Article
- Alcohol and marijuana use among young injured drivers in Arizona, 2008-2014.Traffic injury prevention · 2019Article
- A population-based case-control study of hospitalisation due to head injuries among bicyclists and motorcyclists in Taiwan.BMJ open · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
contextMotorcycle crashes account for a disproportionate number of motor vehicle deaths and injuries in the U.S. Motorcycle helmet use can lead to an estimated 42% reduction in risk for fatal injuries and a 69% reduction in risk for head injuries. However, helmet use in the U.S. has been declining and was at 60% in 2013. The current review examines the effectiveness of motorcycle helmet laws in increasing helmet use and reducing motorcycle-related deaths and injuries. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Databases relevant to health or transportation were searched from database inception to August 2012. Reference lists of reviews, reports, and gray literature were also searched. Analysis of the data was completed in 2014. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 60 U.S. studies qualified for inclusion in the review. Implementing universal helmet laws increased helmet use (median, 47 percentage points); reduced total deaths (median, -32%) and deaths per registered motorcycle (median, -29%); and reduced total injuries (median, -32%) and injuries per registered motorcycle (median, -24%). Repealing universal helmet laws decreased helmet use (median, -39 percentage points); increased total deaths (median, 42%) and deaths per registered motorcycle (median, 24%); and increased total injuries (median, 41%) and injuries per registered motorcycle (median, 8%).
conclusionsUniversal helmet laws are effective in increasing motorcycle helmet use and reducing deaths and injuries. These laws are effective for motorcyclists of all ages, including younger operators and passengers who would have already been covered by partial helmet laws. Repealing universal helmet laws decreased helmet use and increased deaths and injuries.
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Registered trials
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