We know, we know, Tom Brady is invincible. The best quarterback in football, Superbowl rings on more fingers than anyone, and an amazing win against Pittsburg on Sunday night. But caught by the paparazzi while riding bicycles with his wife and two sons, we see that neither Tom nor Gisele wear helmets when they bike around Boston. Bicycle injury lawyer Neil Burns reports that while the law in Massachusetts does not require adults to wear helmets, it is highly recommended. Last year 630 bicyclists died in the US, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Brain and spinal injury lawyer Neil Burns notes that 91% of bicyclists killed in 2008 were not wearing helmets. “A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash,” according to NHTSA Bicycle Safety tips.
Of the 2009 highway fatalities, 2% were bicyclists. However, 12% of the bicycle fatalities were children 14 and under. Ten of those children were in Massachusetts bicycle accidents. Further, the NHTSA estimates that “51,000 pedalcyclists were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes” in 2009, 17% children under the age of 14. Massachusetts requires all children under 17 to wear helmets. The news about the NFL and brain injuries constantly reports that what they do at that level trickles down to the college and high school level. So while Tom was not breaking any laws, he may have been setting a bad example for his kids and all of those who saw the photos.