Helmets for cyclists not mandatory in Luxembourg

As they have made quite clear with their latest regulations, Luxembourg's authorities are opting for more preventive approaches when it comes to road safety. In the context of debates revolving around the environmental incentives of soft mobility, the attention is naturally shifted towards cycling, as well as the personal safety of cyclists in daily traffic.

Surprisingly for some, there is currently no law in Luxembourg that makes wearing a helmet mandatory, as a legal requirement for cyclists.

No need to ask whether helmets can save lives; after all, they reduce the risk of serious injury by 70%. Despite these statistics, the helmet regulation is still based on a study that was conducted by the national health directorate three years ago. At the time, it was concluded that there was not enough evidence to support a change in law.

The study in question compared injuries among different traffic participants and found that 15% of both cycling and car accidents resulted in head injuries. For pedestrians, these kind of injuries even reach 35%. Should motorists and pedestrians thus also be required to wear a helmet?

For these reasons, the sustainable development ministry cannot rely on concrete figures to proceed with a legislation change. They also know that people are, at least in most cases, relatively reasonable. The majority of cyclists will buy a helmet and use it to feel safe. Parents in particular are most likely to require their children to wear helmets.

In the Netherlands, a mere 3% of cyclists wear a helmet when riding their bikes. According to the national institute of statistics (STATEC), only one cyclist died last year. Between 2012 and 2015, no fatal cycling accident was reported.

In Europe, only Spanish, Finnish and Maltese cyclists are legally obliged to wear a helmet.