There are statistics for head injuries incurred riding a bicycle, but some find that these alone do not show the full effect of making a helmet mandatory. The

There are statistics for head injuries incurred riding a bicycle, but some find that these alone do not show the full effect of making a helmet mandatory. The Dutch Cyclists’ Union is particularly vocal about this¹. Their take is that creating a culture where wearing a helmet on a bicycle is normal has a significant negative effect on health in general and safety by raising the barrier of riding a bicycle. When you need a helmet, you have to lug it around even when you're just popping out for some groceries. The effects of mandatory helmets in neighbouring countries show that these have a non-negligible effect on participation, leading to fewer cyclists. For cyclists however, there is safety in numbers; motorists are more considerate of cyclists simply because they are everywhere and part of the normal roadscape². There is also the simple weighing of risks: head injuries are, comparatively, very rare. The energy devoted to making helmets mandatory are better spent in improving road safety by different means. For children the risk of head injury occurring is simply higher, which is why you will see many children wear helmets in the Netherlands until they reach their teens. 1: https://www.fietsersbond.nl/ons-werk/fietsers-en-veiligheid/fietshelmen/ https://www.fietsersbond.nl/ons-werk/fietsers-en-veiligheid/... 2: Almost exclusively low speed roads; up to 30 km/h within built-up areas, 60 km/h without. Faster roads tend to have separate cycleways near or parallel to them and prohibit cyclists from using the roads themselves.