"Helmets are good. Helmet laws are not."

“Helmets are good. Helmet laws are not” is a quote taken from Helmet Freedom, an organization dedicated to sharing information on the negative impacts of mandatory helmet laws. They understand that helmets can reduce head injuries in low-speed collisions, and support a person’s choice to wear a helmet. However, they oppose mandatory laws that require cyclists to wear helmets. Various other individuals and organizations, including Copenhagenize, appear to oppose mandatory helmet laws.

Some people argue that helmets are an inconvenience and can make cycling a less attractive mobility option. Others feel that wearing a helmet makes them feel safe and confident on a bicycle. With differing opinions on helmet use, many people seem to respect that wearing a helmet should be a personal choice. Mandatory helmet laws seemingly remove this personal choice, forcing all cyclists to wear helmets whenever they ride a bicycle.

Do Mandatory Helmet Laws Decrease Cycling Rates?

When Australia implemented their mandatory helmet law, cycling levels fell by 30%. In hopes of increasing cycling rates in downtown Melbourne, a bikeshare system was launched. Compared to other cities with bikeshare systems, the scheme was unsuccessful, attracting fewer than 650 subscribers in four months. One reason cited for the failed system is the State of Victoria’s mandatory helmet law, which seemingly makes casual cycling difficult. In contrast, cities without mandatory helmet laws have seen extraordinary successes with their bikeshare systems. For example, Dublin, which faces no mandatory helmet laws, shares similar cycling suitability levels as Melbourne's downtown area and has nearly 50,000 subscribers for their bikeshare system. Dublin councilor Andrew Montague discusses Melbourne’s bikeshare system in a video interview and is quoted as saying “…that [DublinBikes] would be killed stone dead if there were compulsory helmets.”

The Safety in Numbers Effect

Based on the Australian example, it appears that mandatory helmet laws can reduce the number of cyclists, and any reduction in cyclist numbers poses a significant threat to safety, based on the safety in numbers effect. This hypothesis claims that by being in a large group or mass, an individual is proportionally less likely to fall victim to an accident, attack, or another harmful event. Research has shown that when cycle use doubles, the risk of a motorist hitting a cyclist reduces by one third. Therefore, it would appear that more cyclists on the road results in increased safety. If mandatory helmet laws do reduce cycling rates, as proven in Australia, then the law could pose as a significant danger for the safety of cyclists. 

The graph below illustrates the safety in numbers effect. In countries where many people are cycling (safety in numbers effect), cycling fatalities are low. 

Source: European Cyclists' Federation

Do higher rates of helmet use lead to a decrease in cyclist fatalities?

The graph also appears to show that high rates of helmet use does not necessarily equate to lower risk of injury or death. For example, if 38% of cyclists in the U.S. wear helmets, why is the fatality rate much higher than in the Netherlands, where 0.1% of people wear helmets? The answer appears to have little to do with helmets and more to do with cycling infrastructure and culture. In the Netherlands, safe infrastructure has been available to cyclists for decades, and they rarely cycle within traffic. When they do, drivers tend to be cautious and respectful, largely because of the strong culture of cycling and that motorists likely cycle or have cycled at some point themselves. In the United States, the strong car-culture mentality leaves little room for understanding and respect between motorists and cyclists. Cycling infrastructure is completely absent or severely lacking in many cities, resulting in cyclists having to travel within traffic, becoming exposed to dangerous situations with motor traffic that can lead to injury or death, regardless of if they wear a helmet or not. 

Helmet Use in Copenhagen

In Copenhagen, an increasing amount of people are wearing helmets, but this is still their choice. In a quote taken from Toronto Star article in May 2009, this was said about helmets in Copenhagen:

"We don't have a law in Copenhagen mandating cyclists to wear helmets," says Brian Hanson, the head of the city's traffic planning department. "We have no problem with anyone wearing a helmet and understand the safety benefits of it. But we've studied the topic many times and the results are always the same: it will decrease ridership significantly. We feel the health benefits of bike riding – active lifestyle, very low carbon emissions, clean air – far outweigh the risks of riding without a helmet." 

“Helmets are good. Helmet laws are not.” is a simple statement behind a quite complex issue. What are your thoughts on helmet use and mandatory helmet laws?