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Controlled Clinical Trial
. 2012 May;102 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S204-6.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300711.

Risk compensation: a male phenomenon? Results from a controlled intervention trial promoting helmet use among cyclists

Antoine Messiah  1 , Aymery Constant, Benjamin Contrand, Marie-Line Felonneau, Emmanuel Lagarde
Affiliations
Controlled Clinical Trial

Risk compensation: a male phenomenon? Results from a controlled intervention trial promoting helmet use among cyclists

Antoine Messiah et al. Am J Public Health. 2012 May.

Abstract

Prevention tools are challenged by risky behaviors that follow their adoption. Speed increase following helmet use adoption was analyzed among bicyclists enrolled in a controlled intervention trial. Speed and helmet use were assessed by video (2621 recordings, 587 participants). Speeds were similar among helmeted and nonhelmeted female cyclists (16.5 km/h and 16.1 km/h, respectively) but not among male cyclists (helmeted: 19.2 km/h, nonhelmeted: 16.8 km/h). Risk compensation, observed only among male cyclists, was moderate, thus unlikely to offset helmet preventive efficacy.

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