HEAD INJURY – THE FACTS It is estimated that around 1 million people attend accident & emergency units as a result of a head injury in the UK each year with many more going unreported. Over 135,000 are admitted to hospital with resulting brain injuries ranging from mild to severe brain injury and skull fracture. According to the latest figures available from the Department for Transport, head injuries occur in 80% of all motorcyclist fatalities and 70% of all pedal cycle fatalities.  Traumatic brain injuries can have a huge variety of causes. The most common are motor vehicle accidents, but causes also include domestic or recreational falls, work accidents and criminal assaults, with the resulting injuries ranging in severity from minor to very severe. Brain injury can lead to death, but also a huge number of other non-fatal physical, cognitive and emotional effects which can potentially seriously impact the quality of life.  The effects on individuals and their families can be overwhelming, and the financial costs to the NHS, employers and insurers very significant. The cost of head protection is far less than the cost of death, injury, compensation or long-term care. Recent government figures estimate the cost of a road vehicle accident death at £1.4m and a severe injury at £156,000. The cost of these events happening to motorcyclists is 1.7 times the level in all other road users

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