“I broke my cheek, and they say I have cracked the first vertebrae in my neck ... and I broke the bone below my nose bad enough that it’s still sore and numb.”
It’s been almost four years since Dave West flew over the handlebars of his bicycle while out for a summer afternoon ride.
He was riding along Okanagan Avenue in Vernon when the plastic bag he was carrying was sucked into his spokes, stopping him immediately and sending him flying.
He remembers the sound of his teeth breaking as his face hit the pavement.
Luckily, he was wearing a helmet.
Dr. Brandon Yau is a resident medical safety officer with Interior Health and says when it comes to reducing potential injuries, a properly fitted helmet is key.
“Think of its use as similar to our use of a seatbelt when we are in a car. We can’t really anticipate when we will be in a collision or when we will need it, so it’s important to use it whenever you're on the road to prevent injuries when you’re using active transportation,” Yau says.
Wearing a helmet is mandatory in all B.C. cities and on highways, but it's rarely enforced.
Brain Trust Canada is an agency responsible for brain injury prevention and rehabilitation programs in the province. Educator Lydia Wood says the best way to determine if a helmet fits is to practice the 2V1 rule.
The helmet should sit about two fingers above your eyebrows, the straps should form a V around your ears, and when it comes to the chin strap, Wood says “there should be enough space for one finger to fit through.”
According to Yau, research shows wearing a properly fitted helmet can reduce your risk of a serious head injury by 60%.
West believes his outcome would have been much worse without his helmet and finds himself cringing when he sees people riding without one.
“People on a bike without a helmet on … you hope they don’t have the same experience I did because it’s very important to wear a helmet.”
West knows if he wasn’t wearing his helmet or if it didn’t fit him right, his outcome would have been much different.
