I'll bet your better half will confirm the leading cause of brain injuries are aquired brain injuries (strokes, heart attacks, asphyxiation are common causes) and tramatic brain injury victims are only a small portion of head injuries, and of that small portion, automobile occupants are the leading victims, so, by riding our bikes, we avoid the behaviours that are the leading contributers to aquiring brain injury.

I wonder if there would be a consideration for your 80 something year old mother to wear a helmet as well as yourself because she could also benefit from wearing a skid lid as people in this age group are much more often to receive a head injury from a fall than a cyclist who is much younger?