Risk Compensation: A Male Phenomenon? Results From a Controlled Intervention Trial Promoting Helmet Use Among Cyclists

摘要

Prevention tools are challenged by risky behaviors that follow their adoption. Speed increase following helmet use adoption was analyzed among bicyclists enrolled in a controlled intervention trial. Speed and helmet use were assessed by video (2621 recordings, 587 participants). Speeds were similar among helmeted and nonhelmeted female cyclists (16.5 km/h and 16.1 km/h, respectively) but not among male cyclists (helmeted: 19.2 km/h, nonhelmeted: 16.8 km/h). Risk compensation, observed only among male cyclists, was moderate, thus unlikely to offset helmet preventive efficacy. Public health measures based on diffusion of preventive innovations can be undermined by risk compensation: feeling safer makes some people adopt riskier behaviors. 1–13 Despite documented effectiveness of helmet use for the prevention of injuries, 14 its benefit in bicyclists is disputed; the documentation is insufficient, especially among adult bicyclists outside of a sport or recreation context. 15–18 Studies of risk compensation by helmet users in the context of recreational sports have yielded equivocal results. 12,19–22 In the present study, we aimed to assess the speed of new helmet users among adult urban bicycle riders enrolled in a controlled intervention trial.