Collegiate athletes opinions regarding helmet use while riding scooters or mopeds.

Many collegiate athletes use scooters and mopeds for transportation, and they are at greater risk for head injury without helmets.

Objective

Investigate college athletes' reasons for wearing/not wearing helmets while riding a scooter or moped. Participants,

Methods

125 Division I athletes across five teams (two with helmet mandates) completed a cross sectional survey on rates and attitudes about helmet use on scooters or mopeds.

Results

Helmet use on mandated vs non-mandated teams was 100% vs 3.6% (OR 1141; 95% CI 56.97, 22,850). For the question, "if you do not wear a helmet, what might make you change your mind and wear one?", players most commonly wrote in a law or coaches' rule (57%).

Conclusions

A coach's rule is associated with a higher rate of helmet use in collegiate athletes, and athletes primarily report a rule or law as the reason they would wear a helmet on a scooter or moped.