I categorically deny that I am spreading FUD. You are very unlikely to die in a bike accident. However, if you do, you are vastly more likely to not be wearing

I categorically deny that I am spreading FUD. You are very unlikely to die in a bike accident. However, if you do, you are vastly more likely to not be wearing a helmet. Even if you have negative anecdata (absence of observed collisions/falls) that doesn't mean it doesn't happen: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/11/fewer_road_deaths_but_no_chang/ http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/11/fewer_road_dea... As far as minor falls leading to death... hopefully an EMT/medical professional can jump in or someone else can offer statistics. I wish I had time to find links/data to show you how sadly and tragically incorrect that is (cycling or not). I will repeat: I favor bike lanes and do not strongly favor helmet laws (even though I strongly favor their use). edit: also, if anyone can find a way to quantify how many injuries helmets have prevented, it would be awesome. Everything I found involved autopsies/hospital reports/police reports... nothing where someone crashed and the helmet prevented further injury. Also hard to tell non-fatal effects from reported data (where a fall would have been a concussion otherwise, but was not because of a helment)