Bicycle Safety Issues, Research Paper Example

Scope and Purpose of the Clinical Practice Guideline

The purpose of this discussion is to address the role of bicycle safety and its impact on health and wellbeing, as this reflects a need to determine the best possible solutions to improve bicycle safety for children and adults. It is necessary to promote the health of safety of individuals in this regard; however, this requires an examination of different tools and resources that will be effective in meeting the development of new perspectives that will encourage effective outcomes and provide a level of support in maximizing safety in all areas of bicycle activity. In accordance with specific guidelines, it is important to identify the guidelines and other resources that will have a lasting impact on the health of bicycle riders across all age groups. This process is instrumental in the development of new guidelines and resources that will govern outcomes for individuals who are casual or avid bicycle riders.

Clinical practice guidelines for bicycle riders represent a means of promoting safety for this group of individuals. It is known that approximately 70 percent of children that are between the ages of five and 14 ride bicycles at least on a casual basis; however, rider safety remains a significant concern for many individuals and requires an evaluation of different perspectives in order to be successful in managing the needs of this group and in promoting their safety at all times, using practical tools and resources to accomplish these objectives (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2015). To be specific, “Among children, 75 percent of bicycle-related fatalities could have been prevented if all children on bicycles wore helmets. Some states have bicycle helmet legislation requiring helmets to be worn…According to SAFEKIDS, bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent” (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2015). Under these conditions, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of helmet use for children who ride bicycles and to determine what is required to facilitate successful practice guidelines that will govern this group of riders.

Stakeholder Involvement

Clinical practice guidelines for bicycle riders must examine the existing body of evidence in order to determine the best possible approaches to managing this group of individuals and to determine what steps are required to promote bicycle safety at all times. It is imperative that existing research provides a valuable examination of these tools and that there are significant opportunities to improve safety for bicycle riders. For many individuals, cycling represents a means of health and a form of motivation to exercise; therefore, it requires an examination of the different tools and resources that are likely to impact riders in different ways. One of the most critical issues is the use of helmets, as this is important in protecting their heads from any type of additional risk or harm during bicycling, and this also represents a means of understanding the need to maximize safety for riders and in informing the general public of the need for safety measures in this regard.

A study by Gamble, Walker, & Laketa (2015) addresses the importance of the risk of injury while using a bicycle, which may contribute to some degree of behavioral adjustment for riders, along with the perception of risk of riding a bicycle next to motor vehicle drivers. This is an important distinction to make because it supports a need for communication and a greater understanding of how bicycle riders behave in the context of the road and in securing their own safety (Gamble et.al, 2015). Health and safety must be considered as a critical priority for bicycle riders; therefore, it must also demonstrate a need to promote guidelines that will govern this practice and to determine what steps are required to ensure that all bicycle riders are protected from unnecessary risks as best as possible, including the use of helmets for riders to protect their health (Gamble et.al, 2015).

A study by Persaud, Coleman, Zwolakowski, Lauwers, & Cass (2012) addresses the significance of helmet use in promoting greater safety for bicycle riders and the overall perceptions of this practice in order to ensure that all bicycle riders are protected from unnecessary risk or harm. A case-control design was adopted using 129 cases involving fatalities, and it was determined that there must be a greater emphasis on wearing helmets as a primary means of promoting safety for bicycle riders, as this contributes to the primary causes of head injury for many bicycle riders (Persaud et.al, 2012). At the same time, fatal head injuries may occur regardless of whether or not a helmet is worn, but the use of these helmets may have a positive impact on those who experience nonfatal injuries (Persaud et.al, 2012). These considerations must be evaluated in the context of their ability to make a difference in the lives of bicycle riders and in determining how to best promote a safer and more effective environment for these riders so that their quality of life while riding a bicycle is protected as best as possible.

Bicycle-related injuries must be examined more closely in order to provide a comprehensive perspective of issues regarding safety and overall health. Since the use and impact of helmets remains a significant concern in this regard, it is important to identify areas where this relationship is questioned and the degree to which riders are protected by helmets versus areas where helmets are not effective in protecting them from injury. A study by Rivara, Thompson, & Thompson (2015) resulted in an examination of different perspectives regarding helmet use when riding a bicycle and it was determined that this is not the sole cause of protecting individual riders from injury. The study notes that it is also important to consider other critical factors related to bicycle riding, such as the separation of bicycle riders from motor vehicles, as this enables bicycle riders to potentially experience greater levels of safety as they ride, while also considering the use of bicycles for younger children only when they have developed to the fullest possible extent to be fully aware while operating a bicycle (Rivara et.al, 2015). These criteria are of critical importance in the development of clinical guidelines that will impact these individuals at a high level and in supporting their growth and development as riders while considering all related risks in riding bicycles (Rivara et.al, 2015).

Rigor of Development

The articles that have been presented in the prior section provide a means of understanding the risks that are associated with bicycle riding and how there must be a greater emphasis on helmet use and the overall safety of riders. This is an important step towards the discovery of new ideas and strategies to promote the health and safety of riders at all times and under all conditions. It is imperative to recognize the existing literature regarding bicycle riding and the health and safety issues that have emerged, in addition to other factors that influence clinical practice guidelines that will optimize the ability of all bicycle riders to operate in a safe and comfortable environment. The existing literature and statistics emphasize the importance of helmet use in protecting riders, but it also demonstrates the general risks that are taken when riding bicycles in the presence of motor vehicles. This is a natural occurrence and requires an examination of the different tools and resources that influence the behavior and attitudes of bicycle riders throughout the world. It is imperative that clinical practice guidelines are able to emphasize the importance of qualitative and quantitative studies in this regard and in supporting an environment where the potential exists to improve safety on a continuous basis through clinical practice guidelines, as well as policy and safety regulations that are governed by local, state, and national groups.

Recommendations

It is important to identify the specific factors that influence the health and safety of bicycle riders and the tools that are necessary to reduce these risks over time. There must be a significant focus on the continued growth and development of practice guidelines that will have a lasting impact on these individuals and on other areas where bicycle riders are affected. Nursing-based recommendations should be considered in the context of educating the general public regarding bicycle safety and the use of helmets, as this supports a greater understanding of the issues that are most likely to influence the direction and focus of the bicycle riding community. With these considerations in place, it is likely that there will be a greater understanding of nurse-based education and involvement in preventing bicycle accidents and in protecting the safety of all riders. At the same time, nurses must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the health-related impacts of bicycle riding for individuals from the perspective of increasing physical activity for individuals across different age groups.

Implementation

Barriers to implementing the chosen clinical practice guidelines may include the development of factors that impact how individuals ride bicycles and if they take the health and safety aspects of this activity seriously. Therefore, educational opportunities must be available that will have an impact on the health and safety aspects of bicycle riding for individuals. Nurses must be able to emphasize clinical practice guidelines and education in an effort to produce effective results and to make the best of the options that are available to encourage bicycle safety, as well as the benefits of this activity on overall health and wellbeing. These factors will support the promotion and adoption of clinical practice guidelines to meet expectations and to improve outcomes.

References

Gamble, T., Walker, I., & Laketa, A. (2015). Bicycling campaigns promoting health versus campaigns promoting safety: A randomized controlled online study of ‘dangerization’. Journal of Transport and Health.

Johns Hopkins Health (2015). For parents: bicycle, in-line skating, skateboard, and scooter. Retrieved from http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/non-traumatic_emergencies/for_parents_bicycle_in-line_skating_skateboard_safety_85,P00818/

Persaud, N., Coleman, E., Zwolakowski, D., Lauwers, B., & Cass, D. (2012). Nonuse of bicycle helmets and risk of fatal head injury: a proportional mortality, case–control study. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184(17), E921-E923.

Rivara, F. P., Thompson, D. C., & Thompson, R. S. (2015). Epidemiology of bicycle injuries and risk factors for serious injury. Injury prevention, 21(1), 47-51.