Many head injuries are the result of accidents that are very difficult to predict or avoid. However, if you have a head injury, you can reduce your risk of developing serious complications.

Safety helmets

Cyclists and motorcyclists can protect their head by wearing a properly fitting safety helmet. British Standard safety helmets are a legal requirement for motorcyclists.

Research commissioned by the Department of Transport found that bicycle helmets ‘should be effective at reducing the risk of head injury’. However, it is difficult to conclusively determine the benefit of cycle helmets because data about road accidents that involve cyclists may not contain all the relevant information.

For example, in situations where a car is involved, it may not always be clear how fast the car was travelling. The data may also not explain where exactly the head injury occurred, which makes it difficult to determine whether a helmet might have prevented the injury.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) all support the use of cycle helmets and suggest that they may help reduce head injuries.

As well as wearing a cycle helmet when cycling, you should also make sure that both you and your children:

• use lights and wear reflective clothing when cycling in the dark
• are aware of the dangers of the road and know how to stay safe
• always follow the Highway Code (see Directgov’s online version of the Highway Code)
• check that the bike is in good working order

Read more information about cycling safely and cycle safety for children on the Directgov website.

Safety in the home

Following sensible health and safety guidelines can help prevent accidents in the home. Some advice to help keep your home and garden as safe as possible includes:

• keep stairways tidy so you do not trip over anything
• use appropriate safety equipment if you are doing any kind of DIY
• do not stand on an unstable chair to change a light bulb – use a stepladder
• clean up spillages to prevent someone slipping 
• follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using weed killer or other chemical products

For more information, go to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents website.

Childproofing your home

It is not possible to ‘childproof’ your home completely. However, you can take steps to keep toddlers and young children safe at home such as:

• checking that windows are lockable and cannot be opened by your child, especially bedroom windows
• moving furniture, such as beds, sofas and chairs away from windows to prevent your child climbing up and falling out
• making sure that chemicals, such as cleaning products, are out of your child's reach
• not leaving hot water unattended, for example a pan of boiling water or a bath 
• fitting safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs

Read more information about preventing accidents to children in the home.

Safety at work

To reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury at work, always follow health and safety guidelines. For example, you may have to wear a hard hat and safety shoes when working in potentially hazardous areas.

Only use ladders in a workplace environment for short-term, light work. Any work that requires spending a considerable amount of time at height, or involves heavy lifting, should be carried out on scaffolding or another suitable platform.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides more information about the correct use of ladders in the workplace, including a list of common tasks that involve working at height.
Any work that involves going onto a roof should also be considered high-risk and therefore high standards of safety are essential.

Read more about carrying out minor roof work, including tips for safe working.

Sport safety

Wear any necessary safety equipment when playing sports, particularly contact sports. Do not play any contact sports after a head injury without first consulting your GP.