Effect of helmet-wearing regulation on electric-bike riders: a case study of two cities in China

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Electric bikes (e-bikes) are widely used for commuting and delivery in China. With the rapid increase in e-bikes on the road, related accidents have become crucial issues threatening the public. This research aims to explore the protective effect of helmet-wearing regulation and to investigate some factors influencing head injury with reference to two case cities in China, obtaining information to protect e-bike riders. Methods The traffic police-reported crash data cover the periods before and after the implementation of helmet-wearing regulations in Taizhou (with data from 2017 to 2019) and Nanning (with data in 2020) of China. Preliminary statistical analysis, logistic regression and chi-square test with a Bonferroni correction were applied in the research. Results A lack of helmets was common among victims in the context of a high helmet-wearing rate among general e-bike riders in Taizhou, indicating that fatality could be avoided to some extent by wearing helmets. Specifically, helmet wearing could reduce the probability of suffering fatal head injury by 6.4%. After the regulation implementation in Taizhou, the proportion of fatal head injuries decreased from 89% to 79%, remaining at a high level, which indicates that other measures in addition to helmet-wearing regulations should be taken. According to the results from Nanning, mandatory regulation worked more effectively than encouraged regulation in terms of reducing head injury. Conclusions Mandatory helmet-wearing regulations are highly recommended to policymakers to reduce head injury among e-bike riders. Measures in addition to helmet-wearing regulation, e.g. enhancing law-abiding awareness and improving road infrastructure, should be considered to further protect e-bike riders.