Calls for compulsory helmet rule for Aussie cyclists to be scrapped
A new plan to scrap laws forcing Australians to wear helmets when riding bikes is being pushed by a cycling organisation.
People over the age of 17 should be able to choose if they want to wear a helmet when riding on cycling paths or trails, the Bicycle Network said in a report released on Wednesday.
“The number of people who ride a bike isn’t increasing and there has been no decrease in the number of bike rider fatalities. It’s clear that our bike policies aren’t working, so it’s important that we review everything,”the Network’s chief executive Craig Richards said.
“Our recommendation is to give people the freedom to choose if they wear a helmet in low risk circumstances, because that’s what bike riding is ultimately all about – freedom.
“Sixty per cent of bike riders called for change. They don’t believe they need someone to tell them whether to wear a helmet when they’re going down the beach or going for a slow Sunday pedal on a bike path.
The organisation wants mandatory helmet laws to be relaxed for a five-year trial.
Australia is one of only two countries in the world with a fully enforced mandatory helmet law.
The Bicycle Network initially supported the introduction of mandatory helmet laws in the 1990s but more recently undertook a 14-month policy review.
The organisation doesn’t back a complete repeal, however, because they believe not enough has been done to separate cars and bikes.
