Bicycle helmet laws by country

  No legal restrictions

  Some local laws apply

  Children only

  Partial rules apply

  Mandatory but no fines apply

  Mandatory

The wearing of bicycle helmets, and attitudes towards their use vary around the world. Compulsory use of helmets has often been proposed and is the subject of much dispute (see Bicycle helmet laws), based largely on considerations of overall public health. Only two countries (Australia and New Zealand) currently require and enforce universal use of helmets by cyclists. In some other jurisdictions, partial rules apply - for children, in certain states or sub-national areas, or under other limited conditions.^[1]

Use

Denmark and the Netherlands have a strong cycling culture and have amongst the lowest levels of helmet use.^[2]

Legislation by country

Australia was the first country to enact mandatory bicycle helmet use for all cyclists.^[3] Mexico City has had mandatory cycle helmet laws repealed, and in Italy the Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta managed to block a proposed helmet law.^[4] While bicycle helmets are not required to be worn by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.^[5] Cycling UK, the largest cycling advocacy organisation in the UK, consider helmet wearing as personal choice rather than being mandated by legislation.^[6] In 2002 an attempt was made to introduce bicycle helmet legislation in Poland but it was opposed by cyclists' organisations.^[7]

Bicycle helmet legislation

Country	Age	Last Change	Notes
Argentina	All	2004	Mandatory.[8] Fines are collected by the provinces.
Australia	All	1990-92	Compulsory for all ages except on Northern Territory public spaces that are not roads (e.g. footpaths, cycle paths) for over 17s.[9] Main article: Bicycle helmets in Australia
Austria	12	2011	[10]
Brazil	None	1997
Canada		1995 - New Brunswick 1995 - Ontario* 1996 - British Columbia 1997 - Nova Scotia 2002 - Alberta* 2003 - Prince Edward Island 2013 - Manitoba* 2015 - Newfoundland and Labrador	In Manitoba applies to cyclists under 18 years of age.[11][12] In Alberta and Ontario, applies to children under 18 years of age.[13][14] In 2007 the Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) city council voted against mandatory helmet use.[15] In Newfoundland and Labrador, applies to cyclists of all ages.[16]
Chile	All	2009	Mandatory in urban zones and suggested in rural zones [17]
Czech Republic	18	2006	[7][18]
Croatia	16	2008	[19]
Denmark	None
Estonia	16	2011	[20]
Finland	None	2003[21]	Not required, but recommended.[22]
France	12	2017	Mandatory for children below 12 year old (passenger or driver), fines apply [23]
Germany	None
Hong Kong	None		In 2009, Transport Secretary announced that government had no intention of introducing mandatory helmet law, based partly on "international views that a mandatory requirement may lead to a reduction in cycling activities."[24]
Hungary		2010	Wearing a helmet increases the speed limit for bicycles outside populated areas from 40 km/h to 50 km/h.[25]
Iceland	15	1998	Iceland has considered - but not pursued - extending its helmet law to adults.[26][27]
India	None
Ireland	None		[28]
Israel	18	2011	Not enforced.[4] Starting from 2011, only applies under 18 years of age, in interurban ways and during sport events.[29]
Italy	None
Japan	13	2008	[26]
Jersey	13	2014	Failure to comply with the Law could result in a fine being issued.[30]
Latvia	12	2014
Malta	10	2004	Bicycles: Only under 10 year olds riding as passengers on an adult's bicycle are required to wear a helmet. Pedelecs: All users must wear helmets.[31]
Mexico		2010	Mexico City repealed mandatory helmet laws in 2010.
Namibia			[32]
New Zealand	All	1993	Main article: Bicycle helmets in New Zealand
The Netherlands	None		[33]
Poland	None		[7]
Portugal	None	2013	No requirement (except for users of continuously powered electric bicycles (i.e. e-bikes) -art 82/n.5 of Traffic Law Code «Código da Estrada» )[7]
Russia	None	2014	No requirement (except for users of electric power-assisted bicycles with more than 250W engine or electric powered speed excess 25 km/h)[34]
Singapore	All		Only power-assisted bicycle on a road[24][35]
Slovakia	All		Compulsory for all cyclists only outside populated areas, for cyclists under 15 years of age anywhere.[36]
Slovenia	15	2000	[7]
South Africa	All	2004	Compulsory for all cyclists but in practice the law is not enforced. No fine had been agreed.
South Korea	13	2006
Spain	All	2004	Required on interurban routes except when going uphill or in very hot weather, or for professional cyclists.[7][37]
Sweden	15	2005	No penalty for children cycling alone who do not obey the law. Also applies to Segway use.[38]
Switzerland	None		[24]
Togo	All	2013	Mandatory helmet policy was enacted by the National Assembly of Togo, since 1975 but the enforcement by the National Police only started in Jun 2013 upon enactment of a new road code. [32][33]
UAE	All	2010	Dubai[26]
Ukraine	None
United Kingdom	None		[24]
United States		Varies by state	Main article: Bicycle helmets in the United States
Uruguay		2015	[39]

See also

• Outline of cycling

References

Further reading

• Macpherson, A; Spinks, A (2007). "Bicycle helmet legislation for the uptake of helmet use and prevention of head injuries" (PDF). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007 (2). The Cochrane Collaboration. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005401.pub2.

External links

• European Cyclists’ Federation
• Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation