The author assumes that the two surveys conducted are representative of increase in bicycle

accidents. To begin with, the first study was conducted nationwide, but the second survey
does not clearly mention the degree and extent of the survey respondents. Moreover, in
choosing the sampling, the survey population may not overlap, which implies comparing the
two research studies may not be adequate to draw a statistically significant conclusion.
Without answers to these questions, the author’s presumption that comparing the two
studies warrants the conclusion that helmets are ineffective source of protection with
regards to accidents seems largely unfounded.
Despite the survey that cites the dangerousness of bicycle accidents, there are not enough
grounds to conclude with confidence that bicyclists are willing to take more risks. For one,
adventurous risks could be taken regardless of helmet wearing. The link is not strong enough
at the current state to judge whether bicyclists take more risks due to wearing helmets. The
conventional wisdom guides us that those that take the time and energy to wear helmets
will be well aware of the safety standards and therefore do not ride in a ferocious way.
Instead what could as likely is that that automobile drivers are careless when on the road. If
such cases turn out to be a significant cause, the author’s hasty assumption would reveal to
be unfounded.
The author also concludes that the measures taken to ameliorate the problem does not lie in
comprehensively tackling the situation with numerous guidelines and requirements. That is,
by claiming that the government should put less emphasis on helmet wearing and more on
educating people about bicycle safety, the author leaves this as a binary issue, where in
reality, dangerous accidents are due to a coordination of factors. Helmets should be better
thought of as one of the safety measures that could be taken on the side of bicyclists. Other
measures could go hand-in-hand with helmet wearing requirements. The author ought not
to fall in the logical trap of considering that helmets are of no use whatsoever.