Cyclists in Berlin (archive photo) Photo: picture alliance / Andreas Gora
From BZ/dpa
The Berlin Transport Senator Manja Schreiner (CDU) advocates compulsory helmets for cyclists.
“The helmet requirement would be a useful contribution to more road safety,” said Schreiner. The more often and faster you ride your bike, the better a helmet can protect you from serious injuries.
However, a helmet requirement could only be regulated at federal level, not for Berlin alone. However, the traffic administration recommends wearing a protective helmet for reasons of road safety. Brandenburg’s Transport Minister Guido Beermann (CDU) also spoke out in favor of making bicycle helmets compulsory on Monday.
The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) objected. “With the introduction of a helmet requirement, the use of bicycles decreases, as figures show, for example Canada,” said the deputy state chairman on Monday, according to the announcement. The turnaround in traffic could not succeed like this, he said.
“You can see how safe and attractive cycling works in the Netherlands: first-class infrastructure, many cyclists, nobody wears a helmet there.”