Health Fact Sheets
Helmet use in recreational activities, 2013-2014
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In 2013-2014, the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) asked Canadians aged 12 and older about their use of helmets while participating in various physical activitiesNote 1. Over this time period, Canadians were more likely to always wear a helmet while snowboarding (67.5%) or skiing (68.6%) than when skateboardingNote 1, in-line skating or bicycling. Females were more likely than males to report always wearing a helmet for each of the five activities (Chart 1).
Data table for Chart 1
ActivityChart - note 1 | Males | Females |
---|---|---|
Skateboarding | 19.1 | 25.3Note * |
In-line skating | 28.3 | 32.5Note * |
Bicycling | 39.1 | 45.8Note * |
Snowboarding | 65.9 | 70.7Note * |
Skiing | 65.1 | 73.3Note * |
|
Bicycle helmet use
In 2013-2014, more than 11.9 million Canadians aged 12 or older reported riding a bicycle in the previous 12 months. Of these, 42.0% always wore a helmet.
The percentage of Canadians that reported always wearing a bicycle helmet decreased after age 17, increasing again at age 20. For those aged 12 to 17, 35.0% of males and 40.5% of females always wore a helmet. This was significantly higher than those aged 18 to 19, where the percentage was only 18.1% of males and 23.8% of females. Regular helmet useNote 2 then increased with age for males between the ages of 20 and 64 and for females age 20 to 44. (Chart 2).
Data table for Chart 2
Males | Females | |
---|---|---|
Total (12 or older) | 39.1 | 45.8 |
12 to 17 | 35.0 | 40.5 |
18 to 19 | 18.1 | 23.8 |
20 to 34 | 31.2 | 39.1 |
35 to 44 | 42.4 | 52.8 |
45 to 64 | 46.7 | 52.8 |
65 or older | 46.6 | 50.4 |
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2013-2014. |
For many recreational activities, helmet use can save lives or reduce the risk of injuryNote 3. While 42.0% of Canadians reported that they always wore a helmet when bicycling in the previous 12 months, 39.4% (roughly 4.7 million people) reported that they never wore one over the same time period.
Education and income
Canadians with less than a post-secondary educationNote 4 were more likely to report that they never wore a bicycle helmet (44.2%) than those with a post-secondary education (35.7%). Helmet use also varied by income, as Canadian households that earned less than $20,000 per year were more likely to report never wearing a bicycle helmet (55.5%) than Canadian households that earned $80,000 per year or more (33.3%; Chart 3).
Data table for Chart 3
Always | Most of the Time | Rarely | Never | |
---|---|---|---|---|
No income to less than $20,000 | 27.1 | 7.5 | 9.9 | 55.5 |
$20,000 to $39,999 | 31.1 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 50.4 |
$40,000 to $59,999 | 37.1 | 7.9 | 10.9 | 44.1 |
$60,000 to $79,999 | 40.6 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 41.1 |
$80,000 or more | 47.9 | 10.0 | 8.8 | 33.3 |
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2013-2014. |
Bicycle helmet use (never) by province and territory
Several provinces mandate the use of bicycle helmets, but with differing age restrictionsNote 5. The percentage of Canadians who report never wearing a bicycle helmet varied depending on the province or territory of residence (Chart 4).
Data table for Chart 4
percent | |
---|---|
Total | 39.4 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 34.2 |
Prince Edward Island | 16.7 |
Nova Scotia | 16.7 |
New Brunswick | 28.9 |
Quebec | 49.3 |
Ontario | 41.7 |
Manitoba | 51.2 |
Saskatchewan | 57.2 |
Alberta | 31.3 |
British Columbia | 16.4 |
Yukon | 25.5 |
Northwest Territories | 49.1 |
Nunavut | 81.0 |
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2013-2014. |
The proportion of residents who reported they never wore a bicycle helmet was lower than the national average (39.4%) in:
- Newfoundland and Labrador (34.2%)
- Prince Edward Island (16.7%)
- Nova Scotia (16.7%)
- New Brunswick (28.9%)
- Alberta (31.3%)
- British Columbia (16.4%)
- Yukon (25.5%)
The proportion of residents who reported they never wore a bicycle helmet was higher than the national average in:
- Quebec (49.3%)
- Ontario (41.7%)
- Manitoba (51.2%)
- Saskatchewan (57.2%)
- Northwest Territories (49.1%)
- Nunavut (81.0%)
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