The 39-year-old rower fractured his skull in two places last year after being being hit by the wing mirror of a truck during an endurance race in Arizona.
The double gold medallist believes his cycle helmet saved his life and has now launched a YouTube campaign using the slogan: ‘Use your head. Use your helmet.’
The initiative has won the backing of Ellis Jones Solicitors which launched a specialist cycling accident department earlier this year to deal with the increasing number of riders injured in collisions.
David McWilliam, Head of the firm’s Personal Injury Department and himself a keen cyclist and triathlete, said the James Cracknell video on YouTube made powerful viewing.
He added: “This is someone who owes their life to wearing a cycling helmet so you can’t get a much stronger message than that.
“The statistics are indisputable. Wearing a helmet saves lives which is why we, as a law firm, are backing James Cracknell’s campaign.
Ellis Jones’ new cycling accident department is headed by Mr McWilliam and will act for people injured in a cycling accident on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis. Successful claimants will receive 100 per cent of any damages secured.
According to latest figures from the Department for Transport, a total of 16,950 pedal cyclists were involved in road accidents in the year to September 2009. Of this number, 2,730 were killed or seriously injured.
- James Cracknell’s YouTube video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4QzAIayTU
