It's uncomfortable. It's hot. It's annoying. These are some of the most common reasons given when people explain why they don't wear a bicycle helmet. Other popular excuses include: "I don't need one" or "I don't own one." Wearing a helmet can save your life. Unfortunately, most people don't seem to care.


Though some studies show that the number of people wearing bike helmets is increasing, you only need to walk down the street to see that plenty of kids and adults still aren't using them. In fact, an estimated 75 percent to 80 percent of bicycle riders don't wear helmets. And with about 100 million bicycle owners in the United States, that's a lot of unprotected heads.


When you ride your bicycle without a helmet, you're taking a chance with your safety. In 1999, 750 bicyclists were killed and about 51,000 were injured in traffic-related crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And about 90 percent of bicyclists who were killed in 2000 reportedly weren't wearing helmets, according to the Department of Transportation.


The good news is that wearing a bike helmet can reduce your chance of head injuries by up to 85 percent. If all bicyclists wore helmets, that could save one life every day and prevent one head injury every 4 minutes.


And don't assume that helmets are just for kids - 71 percent of bicycle deaths in 2000 were riders 16 years of age and older. A recent Mayo Clinic study showed that another important reason for adults to wear helmets is that children are more likely to wear helmets if their parents wear them.


Bicycle helmets can protect your head, but it isn't enough just to own one. Follow these tips to make sure your helmet can cushion a blow:


- Buy helmets that meet or exceed the safety standards developed by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) - look for a CPSC sticker.


- Make sure you have the correct size helmet for your head. See that it fits snugly and doesn't hinder your vision. You shouldn't be able to move the helmet in any direction, back to front or side to side. Sizing pads, which are included in the box, can help to make it fit securely. A comfortable fit is worth a little extra money.


- Wear your helmet flat atop your head, not tilted back at an angle or pulled low over your forehead. Make sure to keep the chin strap buckled while riding.


- Throw out your helmet after it's been through an accident. Even if it looks the same, the force of a blow can easily render it useless.


Wear your helmet every time you ride - the life or quality of life you save may well be your own.