SWOV's updated fact sheet on bicycle helmets provides an up to date overview of the available research on bicycle helmets. The fact sheet includes research results that state that widespread bicycle helmet use in the Netherlands could prevent 100 to 110 traffic fatalities and 1,700 to 1,900 serious injuries annually. Helmeted cyclists are 60% less likely to sustain serious head injuries and 70% less likely to suffer fatal head injuries in a crash or fall.
Currently, helmet usage among Dutch cyclists remains notably low by international standards, with only 5% of men and 3% of women wearing them. The main barriers to helmet adoption in the Netherlands include perceived discomfort, a belief that helmets are unnecessary, and inconvenience in carrying them. For children, parents indicate that peer pressure plays a major role, as their friends don't wear helmets either.
While no Dutch organisations oppose voluntary helmet use, there is little support for mandatory helmet laws. The main concern is that mandatory helmets could significantly reduce cycling activity, although the available evidence for this is limited and not conclusive.
