Look Who it Was Random video

Bike Deaths Picking up Speed

100 views · Published 2 February 2015 · 1:42 · Indexed 12 November 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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As grownups, we caution kids to put ‘safety first’ but statistics show adults fail to heed the same advice.

Bicyclist Laura Lee Voelker agrees, “100%, 100% we push it for the kids, we need to push it for the adults as well.”

Two-thirds of fatal bike accidents involve people who weren’t wearing helmets. The sudden stop causing catastrophic results.

“The problem is the impact of the brain with the skull,” says Lee Memorial Health System neurosurgeon Dr. Dean Lin. He often treats the traumatic injuries. 

“The skull is a fixed, hard object. There’s a little bit of space in there, but the brain basically comes to an abrupt stop up against the skull. Then the brain just starts to swell. Those are the patients that need to go to surgery,” says Dr. Lin. 

A recent study revealed dramatic data about cycling deaths. Over a two-year period, deaths rose 50% in urban areas. With Florida, California, New York and Texas accounting for half the fatalities. Another shift in gears: 84% of bike death victims were adults.

“I do bike, yes. And I wear a helmet,” says Voelker. 

Laura Lee Voelker realizes it can be a risky endeavor.

“It’s dangerous, the cars are flying by, and you just have to sort of make your way around and hope that you’re lucky enough to make it down without getting hurt,” says Voelker. 

These accidents can change or end life in an instant.

“A person who comes in after a bad head injury could be brain dead very quickly so it’s, it’s a horrible situation,” says Dr. Lin. 

A horrible and often preventable situation, given the proper safety precautions. 

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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