Globally, there are 28 countries where helmet use is mandatory. In some countries (or in certain states/regions of that country) it is mandatory for all cyclists, in others only for children/youngsters. Not all countries impose fines when helmets are not used. The table below provides an overview of countries where helmets have been mandatory since what effective date; if this only applies to children this is indicated by ‘age limit’ [17].
Country |
Effective date |
Age limit |
Argentina |
2004 |
All |
Australia |
July 1990 - July 1992 |
All |
Canada |
October 1995 - April 2015 |
All/17* |
Chile |
2009 |
All |
Estonia |
July 2011 |
16 |
Finland |
January 2003 |
All |
France |
March 2017 |
12 |
Iceland |
September 1999 |
15 |
Israel |
July 2007/August 2011 |
All/18** |
Japan |
2008 |
13 |
Jersey |
October 2014 |
12 |
Croatia |
2008 |
16 |
Latvia |
October 2014 |
12 |
Lithuania |
Unknown |
18 |
Malta |
April 2004 |
All |
Namibia |
Unknown |
All |
New Zealand |
January 1994 |
All |
Nigeria |
2012 |
All |
Austria |
June 2011 |
12 |
Slovenia |
2000 |
15 |
Slovakia |
Unknown |
All |
Spain |
2004/2014 |
All/15*** |
Czechia |
2001/2006 |
15/18**** |
United Arab Emirates |
2010 |
All |
United States |
1987-2007 |
Various age groups leeftijdscategorieën |
South Africa |
October 2004 |
All |
South Korea |
2006 |
13 |
Sweden |
January 2015 |
15 |
* In eight of ten provinces some form of helmet use is mandatory: in five provinces it is mandatory for all age groups and in three provinces up to age 18. ** In 2007, helmet use became mandatory for all age groups. Since 2011, children up to age 18 and all cyclists on rural roads have been obliged to wear helmets. *** In 2014, the law was adapted for all age groups; mandatory helmet use for children up to age 16 and for all cyclists on rural roads, except when cycling uphill. **** In 2001, helmet use became mandatory for children up to age 16. In 2006, this was changed into children up to age 18. |
Table 1. Overview of countries with bicycle helmet legislation (Source: [17])