Rigshospitalet reports record brain injuries after helmetless crashes

Rigshospitalet has treated a record number of patients with serious brain injuries after bicycle crashes without helmets this summer, DR reports.

Niels Agerlin, a neurosurgeon and senior consultant in the hospital’s Department of Neurosurgery, said cyclists on both ordinary and electric bicycles can suffer severe head injuries when they hit the asphalt.

Crashes can cause major bleeding in the brain. In some cases, the brain swells so severely that surgeons must remove part of the skull to make room for it, he said.

Police have warned of a growing problem involving illegal, modified electric bicycles that create dangerous situations on cycle paths. The Danish Road Safety Council says motorised bicycles carry a higher risk per kilometre than ordinary bicycles and believes helmets should be legally required for all electric bicycles.

Agerlin said his department also treats people injured on ordinary bicycles, electric scooters and skateboards. Electric vehicles can allow riders to reach speeds higher than they can produce with their legs, making them less stable, he said. Alcohol is sometimes involved as well, and alcohol and electric bicycles are “not a particularly good combination”.

Helmets protect the skull and brain from impacts and can significantly reduce the force of a blow, Agerlin said. “Those of us who know what can happen all wear bicycle helmets,” he said.