Both in Australia and here in the UK, you have to wear a seat belt in a car and children have to be strapped into a special seat conforming to a certain standard ...in the UK..until they are 12 years old or 135cm in height. I had to check that. In Australia the same seat belt laws apply and children under 7 must be in a special seat..one that is 'approved'..ie a certain standard. A bit more re ages but you get the picture. So...just to make sure you know what my position is. I strongly support the wearing of cycle helmets both on and off public roads. I noted what Toni said re 'off road' and that his son experienced a fall off his bike that caused his helmet to break. He'd possible that he would have sustained a serious head injury had he not been wearing a helmet and the same goes for cyclists who are involved in bad roads accidents. It doesn't even need to involve a vehicle..I've seen some bad potholes around.
All that data from Australia is food for thought but about the consequences of compulsion and that is a different discussion. Out of interest I read this re the Netherlands which, as we know, is a keen cycling nation. It's dated 2024.
https://swov.nl/en/nieuws/fact-sheet-bicycle-helmets-effectiveness-use-and-measures. It's the national road safety institute and it's independent. It's interesting to see that the public there think that introducing legislation would discourage cycling.
"SWOV's updated fact sheet on bicycle helmets provides an up to date overview of the available research on bicycle helmets. The fact sheet includes research results that state that widespread bicycle helmet use in the Netherlands could prevent 100 to 110 traffic fatalities and 1,700 to 1,900 serious injuries annually. Helmeted cyclists are 60% less likely to sustain serious head injuries and 70% less likely to suffer fatal head injuries in a crash or fall.Currently, helmet usage among Dutch cyclists remains notably low by international standards, with only 5% of men and 3% of women wearing them. The main barriers to helmet adoption in the Netherlands include perceived discomfort, a belief that helmets are unnecessary, and inconvenience in carrying them. For children, parents indicate that peer pressure plays a major role, as their friends don't wear helmets either.While no Dutch organisations oppose voluntary helmet use, there is little support for mandatory helmet laws. The main concern is that mandatory helmets could significantly reduce cycling activity, although the available evidence for this is limited and not conclusive."
