Bicycling has become extremely popular in the last five years. There were an estimated 88 million cyclists in the United States in 1988.1 In addition to providing efficient transportation, bicycling can afford an enjoyable form of aerobic exercise. It is not without hazards, however. In 1985, there were more than 500,000 emergency room visits and 1,300 deaths attributable to bicycles.2 Many of those injured or killed were children and adolescents. The most common cause of death (70 percent to 80 percent of cases) and the leading cause of disability from bicycling is head injury.3,4

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