
BICYCLE HELMET RESEARCH FOUNDATION		cyclehelmets.org
Home Page	Main Topics	Analysis	Search Site	Full Index

European Cyclists' Federation

Position Statement on Cycle Helmets

At Velo-City 2007 delegates heard that cyclists live longer and healthier lives, that serious head injuries are rare and that the evidence in favour of helmet wearing and helmet laws is weak. The main effect of helmet laws has not been to improve cyclists’ safety but to discourage cycling, undermining its health and other benefits.

We therefore call upon authorities to:

focus on well-established measures to promote cycling and cyclists' well-being;
recognise that the benefits of cycling far outweigh the risks;
- refrain from promoting or enforcing helmet wearing without sound evidence that this would be beneficial and cost-effective compared to other safety initiatives.

Main Topics	www.cyclehelmets.org	Search site
Published by the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation, which exists to undertake, encourage and spread the scientific study of bicycle helmets and to provide access to a wide range of information to assist the understanding of this complex subject. Most information published on www.cyclehelmets.org has been subjected to multi-disciplinary peer review. Material is copyright BHRF, but may be reproduced provided this is done in full, without modification, and the source is acknowledged.