Hundreds of people who use the Capital Bikeshare program are putting their safety at risk by failing to wear helmets, according to a new study.
Researchers at the Georgetown Unviversity School of Nursing & Health observed more than 2,000 bicyclists over a 30-day period, including those who use the Bikeshare and those who ride their own private bikes.
Helmet use was much higher among private bike owners than Bikeshare users, the study found. Among daily commuters, 33 percent of Bikeshare riders wore helmets. That number was just more than 70 percent for personal bike owners.
Casual Bikeshare riders only wore helmets a scant 15 percent of the time, compared to 68 percent of their private bike-owning counterparts.
A previous study that looked at bikesharing helmet use in D.C. and Boston found one in five riders wear helmets. The author of that study also said one-third of cycling injuries are head injuries.
The Capital Bikeshare program recently started offering helmet purchases on its website for those who pay for a monthly membership. Monthly members can also get a 10 percent discount on helmet purchases at more than a dozen local stores.
