Londoners don’t have to. Do Sydneysiders need a helmet to ride?

“This is what we see in countries with higher levels of cycling,” Bancroft said. “And this needs to happen in tandem with safe cycling infrastructure and slower streets.”

NSW Revenue data shows the state’s helmet laws are being enforced less strictly than they were five years ago.

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NSW Police issued 3333 fines for improperly wearing a helmet in 2023-24, up from 6118 fines five years earlier, despite the rise of shared bikes without helmets.

NSW Police did not directly respond to questions about the reduction in road traffic accidents, saying it was “employing a variety of proactive strategies as part of an ongoing commitment to reducing road traffic injuries”.

Although riding without a helmet is an offense in all Australian jurisdictions except the Northern Territory, where there is an exception for cycle paths, helmets are not mandatory in the UK, where cycling organizations oppose such laws due to their negative impact on cycle path use. Australia as a cautionary tale.

The Sydney committee also argues that cycling has net health benefits that outweigh the risks of not wearing a helmet. But trauma surgeon Professor John Crozier warned the “populist push” would undo decades of evidence-based benefits, citing a recent sharp rise in cyclist deaths in Amsterdam, where helmets are not mandatory.

“More and more people are giving up cycling because they are afraid of cars; it’s not about having to wear a helmet,” he said.

Bicycle NSW chief executive Peter McLean said he supported mandatory helmet laws even though they were “clearly a barrier to entry”.

“Other places have much better cycling infrastructure and a different road safety culture that creates a safer environment,” he said.

The State Government this week announced plans to legalize e-scooters on cycle paths and public areas. Riders must be over 16 years old and wear helmets.

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