PAUL Harrison’s letter (Helmet saved my life, they said, August 3) is inaccurate on one count and misleading on another. His concussion was the result of his brain being rapidly decelerated when it was impacted by the inside of his skull. The rigid polystyrene lining of the helmet, even if it compressed at all, would not have significantly reduced that deceleration.

The fact that he says the helmet broke in the process does not mean it absorbed any energy, merely that it failed. I wouldn’t claim a seat belt saved my life if it broke. The medics who told him the helmet saved his life obviously have never studied the mechanics of helmet testing and show no understanding of how brain injury leads to chronic disablement and death.

His mention of someone who suffered bleeding is misleading as it has nothing to do with the argument over helmet compulsion. Indeed, there is research which shows that the non-sliding bike helmet can induce rotational forces which exacerbate delicate brain connections and blood supply being severed (diffuse axonal injury).

This leads to much more brain damage and death than lateral impacts. Our skin has evolved to slide and tear instead of transferring those forces to the skull. The bill is claiming that chronic disablement and death can be prevented by helmet wearing. This is simply not true.

Being hit by a car at just 22mph results in the same forces as falling onto concrete from the roof of a two-storey building. No helmet (cycle, motorcycle or grand prix) can mitigate the impact forces involved. It has become commonplace for A&E medics, police and paramedics to ‘advise’ that a helmet has saved your life. This lazy attitude to road safety has been promoted by helmet manufacturers and the road.

Countries where they have exemplary cycling safety have extremely low levels of helmet wearing. We could all do significantly more for road safety by driving slower and making more journeys by bus or bike. The 13.5 per cent reduction in fuel purchasing over the last year has resulted in a marked drop in injuries.

It’s easy to put the blame on the victim and recommend ‘solutions’ that have no basis in real-world evidence. It’s about time we took road safety seriously.

MIKE CHALKLEY, Cowper Road, Bournemouth