McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) doctors want helmets to be compulsory for all cyclists including Biki, Jump Bikes and Lime Scooters.

The opposition party at Montreal city hall, Ensemble Montreal, proposal to make helmets mandatory for young cyclists, was publicly backed by Dr. Hussein Wissanji, a surgeon at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. (The proposal was voted down at this past Monday’s city council meeting.)

Colleague’s at the MUHC support Dr. Wissanji’s position, but according to CTV News issued a recommendation for an even broader mandatory helmet law. Considering the proliferation of alternative transportation options in Montreal, such as bike and scooter share systems, the doctors want helmets to be mandatory for all cyclists, regardless of age.

Studies have revealed that cyclists involved in a bike accident who were not wearing a helmet spent six times as long in the ICU and had a higher mortality rate.

Michel Abouassaly, coordinator of the MUHC’s department of adult neurotraumatology, told CTV News, “Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injuries by up to 85 per cent, and the risk of fatality by up to 44 per cent.”

Adults “should lead the way,” by wearing helmets, added Dr. Judith Marcoux, a neurosurgeon and medical director of neurotrauma at the MUHC

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