That article does not appear to be making the argument that helmets are worthless, only that they don't protect against concussions. The $40 helmet is one

That article does not appear to be making the argument that helmets are worthless, only that they don't protect against concussions. The $40 helmet is one of the great success stories of the past half-­century. Like seat belts, air bags, and smoke detectors, bike helmets save countless lives every year. They do a stellar job of preventing catastrophic skull fractures, plus dings and scrapes from low-hanging tree branches and other common nuisances. Likewise, US safety standards haven't been updated to reflect more modern medical research on their seriousness.