Baseline report on the KPI Helmet use among cyclists and powered two-wheelers (PTWs)

The aim of the BASELINE project is to assist participating Member States’ authorities in the collection and harmonized reporting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and to contribute to building the capacity of Member States which have not yet collected and calculated the relevant data for the KPIs. The outcomes of this project will be used to set future European targets and goals based on the KPIs. This document is the report providing information on the KPI Helmet use among cyclists and powered two-wheelers (PTWs), which is defined as the percentage of riders of powered two wheelers and bicycles wearing a protective helmet.
Out of the 18 EU Member States participating in the Baseline project, 12 countries provided KPI data on helmet use among cyclists and 13 countries provided KPI data on helmet use among PTW riders, based on common methodological guidelines developed within the project.
Helmet use rates for PTW riders and passengers are very high for almost all countries (above 90%), while the respective KPIs for cyclists are significantly lower, varying from 17,9% to 52,6%. It is noted that in all countries helmet use for PTWs is mandatory, while helmet use for cyclists is not mandatory by law, except some countries (e.g. helmet use is mandatory for children, on rural roads, for e-bikes). Additionally, for cyclists the helmet use rates are higher on rural roads compared to urban roads for all countries. On the other hand, for PTWs, the prevalence of helmet use is almost the same on motorways and rural roads for almost all countries, while KPIs on urban roads are lower than those observed on the other types of roads in a few countries. Regarding the two different time periods examined, the helmet use among cyclists is higher during weekends compared to weekdays for all countries, while for the respective indicators for PTWs, no significant difference was observed depending on the day of the week. KPIs for cyclists by gender and age group were also provided by a few countries. The results showed that there is a difference in the helmet use by gender and age group, with more males and children using a protective helmet when cycling.
All countries collected data and provided indicators as close to the methodological specifications of the project as possible. The performance of countries concerning the helmet use among cyclists and PTWs is successfully recorded and a first picture is depicted at European level. However, the comparative assessment of the results among the countries should be made with caution, taking into account any different methodological approaches or deviations from the minimum requirements suggested in the Baseline project that have been followed in some cases.