Bicycle Helmet Law Wiki
There is active debate over what can be concluded from available studies and on whether the use of helmets by cyclists should be promote.
Bicycle helmet law wiki. There are a total of 22 state laws for bicycle helmets and 201 local laws. In the same month laws covering all cyclists were adopted in. Mandatory helmet laws were first introduced in victoria in july 1990 followed in january 1991 by laws for adult cyclists in new south wales and all age groups in tasmania. In 2002 an attempt was made to introduce bicycle helmet legislation in poland but it was opposed by cyclists organisations.
A bicycle helmet is designed to attenuate impacts to the head of a cyclist in falls while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision. While bicycle helmets are not required to be worn by law in the united kingdom the british medical association advocates the compulsory use of helmets. Australia canada the czech republic finland iceland new zealand sweden and the united states have bicycle helmet laws in at least one jurisdiction for either minors only or for all riders. As of june 2013 the legally required standard for a bicycle helmet is as nzs 2063.
Helmet use has been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50 and the odds of head face or neck injury by 33. Bicycle helmets have been mandatory in new zealand since january 1994. Spain requires helmets to be worn while cycling along public roads outside population centers except for riders with a medical exemption or during extremely hot days. There is ongoing scientific research into the degree of protection offered by bicycle helmets in the event of an accident and the effects of helmet wearing on cyclist and motor vehicle driver behaviour.
Cycling uk the largest cycling advocacy organisation in the uk consider helmet wearing as personal choice rather than being mandated by legislation. In july 1991 new south wales extended the law s reach to child cyclists. The rules also require helmet use by certain bicycle passengers. Each year about 2 of motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists.