> Across the world the deaths of a number of young children have been attributed to their wearing of cycle helmets. The most usual cause of death has been strangulation.The children were not cycling when the tragedies occurred, but it is common for children at play to swap between activities without changing what they wear.

>> Four pathologists writing in The Medical Journal of Australia say that "Accidental hanging is still occurring among young children who wear bicycle helmets while engaging in activities other than bicycle riding. … Although such deaths are rare, it is important for parents and child carers to ensure that bicycle helmets are only worn by children for their intended purpose." (Byard, Cala, Ritchey and Woodford, 2011)

> In absolute terms, the risk of death through wearing a helmet is very small. The information is significant mainly in the context that it is the only unambiguous evidence showing any relationship between fatalities and cycle helmet use. Fatalities are recorded comprehensively and accurately in most countries, but there is no statistically reliable evidence across any population of fewer deaths as helmet use has increased. A doctor in Sweden lamented, with regard to strangulations in that country and its child helmet law, "We know we have killed, but we can't show we have saved anyone". (Sweden, 1)

>> https://www.cyclehelmets.org/1227.html

Note that in this analysis there is no mention of comparable numbers of
child strangulation victims arising from other causes.

The quote that "We know we have killed, but we can't show we have saved
anyone" is based on the point that no one particular person can be
pointed to as being saved, because it never happened to them, and is
therefore a philosophically wrong approach, but the overall numbers can
be found from a proper statistical analysis, which does not appear to
have been done in this case.

It behoves all to note that "Although such deaths are rare, it is
important for parents and child carers to ensure that bicycle helmets
are only worn by children for their intended purpose." (Byard, Cala,
Ritchey and Woodford, 2011)"

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Spike