{"id":39291,"date":"2021-12-24T08:50:52","date_gmt":"2021-12-24T16:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?p=39291"},"modified":"2021-12-23T19:46:55","modified_gmt":"2021-12-24T03:46:55","slug":"bike-helmet-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/bike-helmet-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Bike Helmets be Mandatory?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The issue of mandatory bike helmet laws is controversial, to say the least. Some are vigorously in favor; others oppose them furiously. A research study out of New Zealand suggests that the opposition may be right. What do you think? Read on before you answer &#8230;<\/p>\n<h2>Bike Helmets are a Divisive Issue<\/h2>\n<p>Many people are infuriated by mandatory bike helmet laws. Others argue that mandatory bike helmet laws are a no-brainer: <strong>cyclists should be forced to wear bike helmets<\/strong>, just as motorists are forced to wear seat belts. Like motorists, cyclists are too stupid to know how to be safe, so we must have laws to <strong>force<\/strong> them to be safe.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_17266\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17266\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/eepurl.com\/bGzuPf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"17266\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/benefits-separated-bike-lanes\/maggie-on-the-bc-parkway-750\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=750%2C795&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,795\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Average Joe Cyclist&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-6000&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1459714660&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Average Joe Cyclist&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Maggie on the BC Parkway 750\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Maggie finds her upright bike extremely comfortable&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=750%2C795&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-17266 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. Some like to wear helmets; others prefer not to. Me and Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist usually wear them. But should we all be forced to wear them?\" width=\"750\" height=\"795\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17266\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"17266\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/benefits-separated-bike-lanes\/maggie-on-the-bc-parkway-750\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=750%2C795&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,795\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Average Joe Cyclist&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-6000&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1459714660&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Average Joe Cyclist&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Maggie on the BC Parkway 750\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Maggie finds her upright bike extremely comfortable&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?fit=750%2C795&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-17266 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?resize=750%2C795&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. Some like to wear helmets; others prefer not to. Me and Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist usually wear them. But should we all be forced to wear them?\" width=\"750\" height=\"795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?resize=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1 283w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?resize=142%2C150&amp;ssl=1 142w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?resize=250%2C265&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Maggie-on-the-BC-Parkway-750.jpg?resize=320%2C339&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a> Some like to wear helmets; others prefer not to. Me and Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist usually wear them. But should we all be forced to wear them?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Anecdotal Evidence of the Benefits of Bike Helmets<\/h2>\n<p>Certainly when <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/category\/mrs-average-joe-cyclist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist<\/strong><\/a> had an accident on her bike, she was very sure that her bike helmet had protected her from serious injury, as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/bike-helmets-bike-lights-accidents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">she reported in this post<\/a><\/strong>. However, this is one person\u2019s experience, and so does not prove anything (even if she <strong>is<\/strong> my wife, and therefore always right!)<\/p>\n<p>But it&#8217;s not just Maggie. If you spend any time with any group of cyclists, one of them will invariably tell you a similar story of how they were saved by their helmet.<\/p>\n<h3>What About when You are Cycling in the Middle of Nowhere?<\/h3>\n<p>And any time I publish a photo of someone on a bike without a helmet, I get a flurry of angry emails. Even if the person in the photo is cycling in a park, and is clearly old enough to make their own decisions. All of those people who respond so angrily, obviously feel very strongly that helmets should be mandatory for anyone on a bike, anywhere, under any circumstances. I am not that sure.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, nowadays, when we are cycling in places where we feel safe, we don&#8217;t wear bike helmets. Such as when we are cycling on the <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/whistler-valley-trail\/\">peaceful bike trails of Whistler<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23741\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23741\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/whistler-valley-trail\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23741\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/make-cycling-normal-learned-cycling-paris\/cube-elly-ride-hybrid-400-in-whistler-08\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=750%2C553&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,553\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cube Elly Ride Hybrid 400 in Whistler 08\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;We no longer wear helmets when it makes no sense &#8211; such as when cycling on the completely off-road trails of the Whistler Valley&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=300%2C221&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=750%2C553&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-23741 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. We no longer wear helmets when it makes no sense - such as when cycling on the completely off-road trails of the Whistler Valley\" width=\"750\" height=\"553\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23741\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23741\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/make-cycling-normal-learned-cycling-paris\/cube-elly-ride-hybrid-400-in-whistler-08\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=750%2C553&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,553\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cube Elly Ride Hybrid 400 in Whistler 08\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;We no longer wear helmets when it makes no sense &#8211; such as when cycling on the completely off-road trails of the Whistler Valley&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=300%2C221&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?fit=750%2C553&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-23741 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?resize=750%2C553&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. We no longer wear helmets when it makes no sense - such as when cycling on the completely off-road trails of the Whistler Valley\" width=\"750\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?resize=300%2C221&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?resize=150%2C111&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?resize=250%2C184&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Cube-Elly-Ride-Hybrid-400-in-Whistler-08.jpg?resize=320%2C236&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/whistler-valley-trail\/\">We no longer wear helmets when it makes no sense &#8211; such as when cycling on the completely off-road trails of the Whistler Valley<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We, and our friends, also don&#8217;t wear bike helmets when we are biking on the almost-car-free dirt roads on a ranch.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_37767\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-37767\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"37767\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/train-dog-run-next-to-you-cycling\/dog-and-cyclist1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dog and cyclist(1)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Many dogs not only love to run, but also need to run in order to be happy, calm, and not destructive. Some people are lucky enough to live in places where they can bike with their dogs off leash. Most of us will need to find a way to safely tether our dogs. More about that later in this post&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-37767 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg\" alt=\"We, and our friends, also don't wear bike helmets when we are biking on the almost-car-free dirt roads on a ranch.\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-37767\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"37767\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/train-dog-run-next-to-you-cycling\/dog-and-cyclist1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dog and cyclist(1)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Many dogs not only love to run, but also need to run in order to be happy, calm, and not destructive. Some people are lucky enough to live in places where they can bike with their dogs off leash. Most of us will need to find a way to safely tether our dogs. More about that later in this post&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-37767 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"We, and our friends, also don't wear bike helmets when we are biking on the almost-car-free dirt roads on a ranch.\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?resize=250%2C140&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dog-and-cyclist1.jpg?resize=320%2C179&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/noscript> We, and our friends, also don&#8217;t wear bike helmets when we are biking on the almost-car-free dirt roads on a ranch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Seat Belts are a No-Brainer &#8211; Bike Helmets, Not So Much<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">With seat belts, there cannot really be any arguments. Seat belt legislation has dramatically decreased death and serious injury in motor vehicle accidents. Research indicates that seat belts prevent more than 10,000 deaths per year in the USA alone. (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asirt.org\/\">Association for Safe International Travel<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>With bike helmet laws, the evidence is less clear. For a start, bike helmets only protect your head, and most cyclist fatalities are caused by multiple organ damage.<\/p>\n<h2>Unintended Negative Consequences of Bike Helmet Laws<\/h2>\n<p>Also, there are strong arguments that <strong>mandatory bike helmet laws lead to less cycling<\/strong>, which in the long-term, big picture is more damaging to the general health of the population than a few accidents in which the cyclist is not wearing a helmet.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28182\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28182\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"28182\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/buy-best-electric-bike\/maggie-testriding-evelo-750-x-420\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cycling always puts a smile on our faces!&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-28182 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg\" alt=\"We just do not see the point of wearing helmets in quiet parks\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28182\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"28182\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/buy-best-electric-bike\/maggie-testriding-evelo-750-x-420\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cycling always puts a smile on our faces!&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-28182 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"We just do not see the point of wearing helmets in quiet parks\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?resize=250%2C140&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Maggie-testriding-Evelo-750-x-420.jpg?resize=320%2C179&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/noscript> We just do not see the point of wearing helmets in quiet parks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>The Netherlands Conumdrum<\/h2>\n<p>Also, it is notable that the\u00a0Netherlands has the\u00a0<em>lowest rate of head and brain injuries from cycling in the \u00a0world &#8211; and it\u00a0also has the lowest rate of bike helmet use<\/em>. While most people in the Netherlands ride bikes every day, almost no one wears helmets. <strong>Even toddlers and small children do not wear bike helmets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The point is that cyclists in the Netherlans have safe, separate bike lanes, so they are not exposed to the danger of cars. As has been pointed out, it would make more sense to wear a bike helmet while driving a car in the USA, than to wear a bike helmet while riding a bike in the Netherlands. This is because your risk of an accident per car trip in the USA is much higher than your risk of an accident per bike trip in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a quote from a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.treehugger.com\/bikes\/why-dutch-dont-wear-helmets.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">great post about why the Dutch don&#8217;t wear bike helmets<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8220;Once you separate out bikes from cars, people don&#8217;t tend to just spontaneously fall off. Thus you&#8217;re no more in need of a bike helmet than you are in need of a walking helmet.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Lessons from New Zealand<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, in New Zealand &#8230; a study published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nzma.org.nz\/\"><em>New Zealand Medical Journal<\/em> <\/a>comes down very clearly on the side of those who <strong>oppose mandatory bike helmet laws<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>New Zealand introduced mandatory bike helmet laws in January 1994, following the example of Australia. This gave researchers an unusual opportunity to study the \u201cbefore and after\u201d of mandatory bike helmet laws. They examined data from 1898 to 2009 on walking, cycling, and fatalities.<\/p>\n<h3>Findings about the impacts of mandatory bike helmet laws<\/h3>\n<p>Following the introduction of mandatory bike helmet laws in New Zealand, the researchers found that:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Cycling decreased by a massive 51%<\/strong>, while the risk of <strong>injury to cyclists<\/strong> per hour <strong>increased by between 20 and 32%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>At the same time, the decrease in cycling hours was so dramatic that it probably contributed to up to <strong>53 premature deaths<\/strong> per year (caused by not exercising).<\/li>\n<li>Most cyclists killed by cars cannot be saved by bike helmets, because the fatal injuries affected the entire body, not just the head.<\/li>\n<li>Also, thousands of New Zealanders are fined every year for not wearing a helmet.<\/li>\n<li>Cyclists who are involved in accidents while not wearing a helmet may be <strong>discriminated<\/strong> against by the legal system and get less accident compensation. In case you think that&#8217;s not a big deal &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/speeding-motorist-david-weaving-mows-down-boy-on-bike\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">read this story about a speeding motorist who killed a 14-year-old boy on a bike by mowing him down<\/a>, and then sued the grieving parents because the dead boy was not wearing a bike helmet.<\/li>\n<li>The law has led to <strong>more use of cars<\/strong>, which in turn leads to more environmental harm (and secondary harm to human beings).<\/li>\n<li>Finally, the mandatory bike helmet laws are contrary to <strong>human rights<\/strong>, because they force people to do something that has not been proven to be a good thing in terms of overall safety.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Even So &#8230; We Still Wear Bike Helmets in Traffic<\/h2>\n<p>Despite all this evidence, we continue to wear bike\u00a0 helmets in traffic. Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist continues to wear her <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B008D98UFM\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B008D98UFM&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=avejoecyc0e-20&amp;linkId=V2TWMFPJ7LWG23IE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>stylish Yakkay helmet<\/strong><\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/yakkay-bike-helmet-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>which she reviewed here<\/strong><\/a>) most of the time. and I continue to wear various bike helmets most of the time.<\/p>\n<p>We both feel safer wearing helmets, and would continue to wear them even if we lived in a place that did not have mandatory bike helmet laws. Except if we were somewhere where there was decent cycling infrastructure everywhere!<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>But That Does NOT Mean YOU Have to Wear a Helmet &#8230;<\/h2>\n<p>BUT just because we choose to wear helmets, that does not mean that we think that everyone else should be forced to wear bike helmets. Especially if it means that it halves the number of people cycling! After all, other research has proven that the more cyclists there are, the safer it is to cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, as the helmetless Dutch point out, &#8220;for each year of life lost to bicycle crashes in the Netherlands, 25 years are gained from better health because of the exercise.&#8221; (Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.treehugger.com\/bikes\/why-dutch-dont-wear-helmets.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Treehugger<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h2>What we Actually Need is Safe Cycling Infrastructure<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Personally I think that forcing cyclists to wear helmets while not providing safe infrastructure is like refusing to provide sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to share lanes with cars and buses (as is done with cyclists), AND then adding insult to injury by forcing pedestrians to wear pedestrian helmets \u201cfor their own protection.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_17228\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17228\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B009M98462\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B009M98462&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=avejoecyc0e-20&amp;linkId=HAK5LF6CLYW4MNQA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"17228\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/montreal-cycling-separated-bike-lanes\/montreal-traffic-lights-750-420\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Montreal has many separated bike lanes, making bike helmets much less necessary.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-17228 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. Montreal has many separated bike lanes, making bike helmets much less necessary.\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17228\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"17228\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/montreal-cycling-separated-bike-lanes\/montreal-traffic-lights-750-420\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"750,420\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Montreal has many separated bike lanes, making bike helmets much less necessary.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?fit=750%2C420&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-17228 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing. Montreal has many separated bike lanes, making bike helmets much less necessary.\" width=\"750\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?resize=150%2C84&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?resize=250%2C140&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Montreal-traffic-lights-750-420.jpg?resize=320%2C179&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a> Montreal has many separated bike lanes, making bike helmets much less necessary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Montreal Cycling<\/h3>\n<p>We hardly ever wore bike helmets while we were <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/biking-montreal-separated-bike\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>cycling in Montreal<\/strong><\/a> but we felt safe, because the cycling infrastructure there is so excellent. We strongly support separated bike lanes \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/separated-bike-lanes-keep-cyclists-safer-in-more-ways-than-one\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>as reported here, they keep cyclists safe in more ways than one<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n<h3>Cycling in Paris<\/h3>\n<p>We also noticed when we were in Paris that almost no adults wear bike helmets, ever. Yet they cycle casually through heavy traffic, and on sidewalks too, apparently without a care in the world. We cycled all over Paris and never felt unsafe. We were told that the cultural and\u00a0 legal approach is to treat cyclists like pedestrians.<\/p>\n<p>I wish Canada was more like that, instead of treating a normal activity like cycling as if it is a dangerous sport. I wrote about that in my post <a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/make-cycling-normal-learned-cycling-paris\/\">&#8220;Make Cycling Normal Again &#8211; What we Learned from Cycling in Paris.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_25103\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-25103\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/make-cycling-normal-learned-cycling-paris\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"25103\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?attachment_id=25103\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=700%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"700,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"woman in pink in traffic on bike in paris 700&#215;300\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Almost no adults wear bike helmets in Paris&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=300%2C129&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=700%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-25103 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png\" alt=\"Almost no adults wear bike helmets in Paris. We were impressed by this women's heels!\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-25103\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"25103\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?attachment_id=25103\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=700%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"700,300\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"woman in pink in traffic on bike in paris 700&#215;300\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Almost no adults wear bike helmets in Paris&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=300%2C129&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?fit=700%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-25103 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=700%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Almost no adults wear bike helmets in Paris. We were impressed by this women's heels!\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=700%2C300&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=300%2C129&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=150%2C64&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=250%2C107&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/woman-in-pink-in-traffic-on-bike-in-paris-700x300.png?resize=320%2C137&amp;ssl=1 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a> Almost no adults wear bike helmets in Paris. We were impressed by this women&#8217;s heels!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>The Difference between Seat Belt Legislation and Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws<\/h2>\n<p>Perhaps a key difference between seat belt legislation and mandatory bike helmet laws is that<strong> people will not quit driving just because they are forced to wear seat belts<\/strong>; on the other hand, it seems that up to half of potential cyclists will choose not to cycle if they are forced to wear helmets. And really, would it be a bad thing if seat belt legislation caused 50% of drivers to leave their cars at home? Imagine how <strong>that<\/strong> would help with traffic congestion!<\/p>\n<h2>Should You Wear a Helmet while Driving?<\/h2>\n<p>Finally, there is this disturbing thought. You are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed <strong>in a car<\/strong> than on a bike. Every single day, <strong>one thousand people\u00a0under the age of 25 die<\/strong> in a car crash. In fact, the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29 is car crashes. (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asirt.org\/\">Association for Safe International Travel<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>But when was the last time you saw a young driver\u00a0wearing a helmet in a car?\u00a0Or parents strapping helmets onto their kids&#8217; heads after they strapped them into their car seats? It just doesn&#8217;t happen, even though <strong>we all know how incredibly dangerous driving is<\/strong>. After all, wearing helmets while driving\u00a0would create the perception that driving is dangerous, wouldn&#8217;t it?<\/p>\n<p>And it would make it harder for us to keep <strong>ignoring the fact<\/strong> that the single greatest killer of our children and young people is motor vehicle accidents &#8211; <strong>not<\/strong> bike accidents! It might even force us to reevaluate whether the convenience of cars is really worth the ongoing slaughter of the innocents &#8230;<\/p>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>Bike helmet laws have serious unintended consequences, yet they do not necessarily save lives. On the other hand, riding a bike has enormous health benefits, whether you are wearing a helmet or not. Because this issue is so complex, perhaps it is best if adults get to make their own decisions about it.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources:<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asirt.org\/\">Association for Safe International Travel.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/make-cycling-normal-learned-cycling-paris\/\">&#8220;Make Cycling Normal Again &#8211; What we Learned from Cycling in Paris.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nzma.org.nz\/\">New Zealand Medical Association.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.treehugger.com\/why-dutch-dont-wear-helmets-4858181\">Why the Dutch Don&#8217;t Wear Helmets. Treehugger.<\/a><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-43\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-43 tbody-has-connected-cells\">\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><center><strong>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><h3>Check Out Our Most Popular Posts!<\/h3><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-25127\" style=\"max-width: 750px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-99-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-25127 ml-slider ms-theme-default nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Top posts AJC\" data-width=\"750\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_25127\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_25127\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-42801 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2023-07-30 12:36:22\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/garmin-edge-540-vs-840\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-views-of-Garmin-Edge-540-vs-840-3-1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-42801 msDefaultImage\" title=\"3 views of Garmin Edge 540 vs 840 (3)\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>The New Garmin Edge 840 vs. 540: What's the Difference, and Which is Better?<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; 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width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-37535 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2021-02-09 17:46:40\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/7-best-dog-bike-baskets\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Dog-bike-basket-header1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"7 best dog bike baskets\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-37535 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Dog bike basket header(1)\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Carriers to Take Your Dog on Bike Rides<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-34577 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2020-07-27 15:05:43\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/garmin-edge-530-vs-830-vs-1030-plus\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/530-vs-830-vs-1030-plus-header-min.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"This graphic shows you the relative sizes of the 530 (left), 1030 Plus (center), and 830 (right)\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-34577 msDefaultImage\" title=\"530 vs 830 vs 1030 plus header-min\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Garmin Edge 530 vs 830 vs 1030 Plus vs 1040 Bike Computers: In-Depth Comparison with Reviews and Videos<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-33276 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2020-04-23 15:42:22\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/best-road-bike-saddles-2\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Best-road-bike-saddles-header.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Best road bike saddles\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-33276 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Best road bike saddles header\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>9 of the Best Road Bike Saddles for Men and Women - Video-Packed Post<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-32893 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2020-04-08 08:05:11\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/7-best-bike-computers\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/7-best-bike-computers-header-41.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-32893 msDefaultImage\" title=\"7 best bike computers header 4(1)\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Bike Computers<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-32445 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2020-03-09 12:27:40\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/7-best-waterproof-cycling-jackets\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/9-of-the-best-waterproof-cycling-jackets-header1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"9 of the best waterproof cycling jackets for men and women. A great waterproof cycling jacket will keep you dry, and at the same time be breathable, so that you don&#039;t overheat your core\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-32445 msDefaultImage\" title=\"9 of the best waterproof cycling jackets header(1)\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Waterproof Cycling Jackets for Men and Women<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-30917 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2019-07-25 16:27:47\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/garmin-edge-530-vs-830-vs-1030\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Garmin-Edge-530-vs-830-vs-1030-header-2.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"The Garmin Edge 830 on Maggie&#039;s bike\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-30917 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Garmin Edge 530 vs 830 vs 1030 header 2\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Garmin Edge 530 vs 830 vs 1030 vs 1040<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-31341 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2019-08-26 22:13:15\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/great-bikes-amazon\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/woman-bike-and-dog-at-sunset-2.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Get a new bike, and then get outside and have fun!\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-31341 msDefaultImage\" title=\"woman bike and dog at sunset 2\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 Great Budget Bikes You Can Buy on Amazon - Cruiser, Mountain, Road and Hybrid<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-25151 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2017-08-12 16:10:32\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/compare-best-waterproof-bike-panniers\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Bridgestone-MB2-classic-mountain-bike-on-trestle-bridge-on-Lochside-Bridge-700x300.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-25151 msDefaultImage\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Waterproof Bike Panniers Compared<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-25163 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2017-08-13 19:30:07\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/best-baby-and-child-bike-seats\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/man-cycling-from-Tsawwassen-with-child-1-750-closer-1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-25163 msDefaultImage\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Child Bike Seats Compared<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-33689 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2020-05-17 13:25:47\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/7-best-bike-locks\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Bike-lock-header1.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"7 best bike locks\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-33689 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Bike lock header(1)\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>7 of the Best Bike locks Compared. Find the Best Bike Lock For You!<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-42799 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2023-07-30 12:30:42\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/best-headphones-safe-cycling-2\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Post-header-Joe-and-Maggie-safest-headphones.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-42799 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Post header Joe and Maggie safest headphones\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Best Safe Headphones for Cyclists Compared<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-45252 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-22 20:57:16\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/piriformis-syndrome-in-cyclists\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Piriformis-muscle-seen-from-behind-header.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"Piriformis muscle seen from the front header\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-45252 msDefaultImage\" title=\"Piriformis muscle seen from the front header\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Piriformis Syndrome in Cyclists - How to Prevent and Cure It<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-45526 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-03-08 16:15:36\"><a href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/are-garmin-edge-bike-computers-worth-it\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"View Slide Details\" class=\"metaslider_image_link\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/keen-cyclists.jpg?resize=750%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" height=\"420\" width=\"750\" alt=\"If you are you a really keen and serious cyclist, aspiring to train hard and become fitter and faster, then it is possible that a Garmin Edge bike computer would be a good choice for you\" class=\"slider-25127 slide-45526 msDefaultImage\" title=\"keen cyclists\" \/><\/a><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><div>Are Garmin Edge Bike Computers Worth It?<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><h3>Did you enjoy this post or find it helpful? If so, please support our blog!<\/h3><br \/>\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43266 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/averagejoecyclist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Table-Picture-Joe-on-bike-in-desert-with-Adidas-bike-shirt-Nov-2023.jpg?resize=170%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"160\" \/><br \/>\nWe write this blog because we love cycling. But we also need to earn a living, so we would appreciate it very much if you click through to one of our reputable affiliates for your online shopping. <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2hqcg9Q\">We are proudly affiliated with Amazon,<\/a> which sells pretty much everything, and has outstanding shipping and return policies. When you buy from our affiliates we make a small commission, and this is the <strong>only way<\/strong> we earn any income. Plus, it costs you nothing at all - a real win\/win situation! We here at Average Joe Cyclist do not receive any information AT ALL about who you are, where you live, or what your dog's name is. Buying through our Amazon links is simply an anonymous way to thank us for our efforts, like tossing a few coins in a tip jar. Except that it is Amazon who tosses the coins, not you!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/2dQ8qH2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shop at Amazon in the USA:<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/b?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=15121&amp;creative=330641&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;node=2406106011&amp;site-redirect=&amp;tag=avejoecyc-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shop at Amazon in Canada:<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/b?_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;node=324144011&amp;site-redirect=&amp;tag=avejoecyc-21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shop at Amazon in the UK:<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><center><strong>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-43 from cache -->\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 276px; left: 20px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 4230px; left: 20px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The issue of mandatory bike helmet laws is controversial, to say the least. Some are vigorously in favor; others oppose them furiously. A research study out of New Zealand suggests that the opposition has it right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[108],"tags":[435,305,673],"class_list":{"0":"post-39291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bike-safety","8":"tag-bike-helmet-laws","9":"tag-bike-helmets","10":"tag-cyclist-safety","11":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.8 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Are Mandatory Bike Helmet Laws a Good Thing?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Mandatory bike helmet laws are controversial. Some are in favor; others oppose them. A research study suggests that the opposition is right.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/bike-helmet-laws\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should Bike Helmets be Mandatory?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mandatory bike helmet laws are controversial. Some are in favor; others oppose them. 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