enduro86

@kingtut87: You're 100% right, not to mention the study could face some other serious biases due to self-selection, adverse selection or moral hazard. #1 There is no reason to assume that riders who choose to use a neck brace have the same characteristics as the control group of non-neck brace wearers. It seems reasonable people who buy neck braces are possibly more risk-averse individuals. #2 Alternatively there could be adverse selection, where people who are more likely to need neck braces are the ones that go out and buy them. #3 Peoples' behavior with regard to risk-taking might change because they are wearing a neck brace and feel safer. Some of these biases work against each so it is very hard to say which would dominate. Studies like the one above are great but it is a real shame when they utilise exceedingly poor methodologies (like a simple comparison of raw numbers) and draw conclusions that are thoroughly unrobust and cannot be substantiated. It's not to say their conclusion is wrong, it's just this study simply cannot prove what it is saying.