Cycle use
Significant reductions in the number of people cycling have been experienced wherever a mandatory
helmet law has been introduced.
In Western Australia there were still 10% - 20% fewer cyclists in 1999 than in 1991. In Perth the
number was down 15% over the same period, despite a population increase of over 140,000. At the
same time cyclist injuries are at their highest level in history32.
Even where laws have not been introduced, it has been suggested that the promotion of cycle helmets
discourages people from cycling by strongly associating cycling with danger. TRL33 has found that
helmet campaigns are linked strongly to a decrease in the number of cyclists observed