Helmet laws
In New York, Pols Want to Require Helmets for Teen E-Cyclists
Helmet laws remain controversial — they're the "common-sense" approach pushed by lawmakers who ignore that studies show they don't improve safety.
Amy Sohn
June 2, 2025
Friday Video: A Deep Dive on the Endless Debate Over Bike Helmets
Everything you need to know the next time someone asks you if you're "for or against" bike helmets.
May 16, 2025
How To Design Better Cities For ‘Unseen’ Cyclists
Bicycles play a radically different role in the lives of many cyclists experiencing housing insecurity, a new study suggests — and policymakers don't always do enough to consider the unique needs of people who bike for their survival.
August 30, 2022
Three Common Types of Bike Laws That Are Overdue for an Overhaul
There is almost no evidence that cycling regulations are making U.S. streets safer, and more than enough evidence that they should be overhauled to prevent disproportionately harmful impacts against people of color, a new study finds.
August 24, 2022
The Forgotten Other Good Reason for Repealing Seattle’s Bike-Helmet Law
Helmet laws discourage cycling, which undermines public health.
February 25, 2022
What If Drivers Had to Follow Scooter Laws?
It seems like there's a story every other day about an exciting new traffic law aimed at curbing the most dangerous behaviors on U.S. roads. The only problem? They're almost exclusively aimed at the riders of electric push scooters — not automobile drivers, who are responsible for almost all deaths on our roadways.
August 31, 2021
DOT Leader Goes off Script; Says He Favors Helmet Laws
Activists were quick to pounce on NYC DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman as ill-informed and misfocused, given that the DOT should be focused solely on making roads safer, not on individual behavior.
April 15, 2021
Op-Ed: No Joke — Car Helmets Could Save Lives
There's plenty of data on brain injuries from crashes, and studies showing how helmets could prevent them.
January 28, 2020
Bike Group to Feds: Helmet Laws are Bad
The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals has come out against mandatory helmet laws in a letter this week to the NTSB. We publish it in full.
January 17, 2020
