7-15-08

Bicycle Safety

Summer is a busy time for emergency room physicians who are seeing an increasing number of injuries from accidents involving bicycles and all- terrain vehicles.

Bicycle riding is a fun and healthy activity for people of all ages.  However, every year about 300,000 children in the U.S. go to a hospital  emergency department because of injuries obtained while riding bicycles and all-terrain vehicles.  Dr. Christopher Wohltmann, assistant professor of surgery at SIU School of Medicine and associate director of the Southern Illinois Trauma Center in Springfield, explains some types of bicycle-related injuries.

SOUND BITE: “There are a number of them that are very simple things like scraped knees and various simple orthopedic fractures.  We have however seen a fair number of serious injuries.  The most serious which would include significant head injuries as well as significant spine injuries, including a patient in the last couple of years who is a paraplegic as a result of his bicycle crash.”

Dr. Wohltmann stresses the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle.  He says a properly fitting helmet will help prevent serious head injuries.  He gives some tips which can help prevent injuries.

SOUND BITE:  “The general rule is to always be alert and think about what you’re doing when you’re riding your bicycle.  You know it’s very easy in this day and age to put on the iPod or the headphones and kind of forget about what you’re doing.  Realize that you’re sharing the road with traffic.  You should be riding with traffic.”

Dr. Wohltman says bicycle riders should make sure they can be seen.  At night, they should wear light or reflective garments.  Riders also should follow the Rules of the Road that apply to autos and take precautionary measures to prevent accidents.  Anyone suffering from a serious injury should be taken to a primary care physician or emergency room for evaluation and possible treatment.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.