Mandatory usage of bicycle helmets in Singapore

• The number of bicycle accidents in Hong Kong surged to at least a 20-year high of 2 994 in 2021, causing 508 serious injuries (including 482 cyclists) and 8 deaths.^{1The latest figure was provided by the Transport Department on request on 17 March 2022.} Whilst this rise in accidents was partly attributable to increased bike journeys for leisure purposes upon the launch of "bicycle-friendly" policy in the mid-2000s, some sceptics put the blame on careless/reckless practice of cyclists, including not wearing helmets to protect their vulnerable heads. Given that three-fifths of severe casualties of cyclists were associated with head injuries globally and some seven-tenths of seriously injured cyclists were not helmeted locally, there are sporadic calls in the community to mandate bikers to wear helmets, just as in the case of regulation of motorcyclists.^{2Hoye (2018b) and World Health Organization (2020).} Yet this suggestion is criticized as unduly burdensome especially for casual riders on the one hand, and restrictive of their freedom of choice on the other.^{3星島日報(2017), 香港經濟日報(2021) and Hong Kong Cycling Alliance (undated).} Over the past five years, the subject of cycling safety was discussed at the Legislative Council ("LegCo") on at least four occasions.^{4Legislative Council (2017), Transport and Housing Bureau (2020, 2022) and GovHK (2021).}
• Under the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) Regulations (Cap. 374F), cyclists need not put on helmets. After a policy review in January 2011, the Transport and Housing Bureau ("THB") concluded that mandatory wearing of helmets was not a "common international practice". Instead, THB opined that it was "more practicable" to encourage cyclists to do so voluntarily through publicity campaigns. After a decade and in face of the recent spike in bicycle accidents, public concerns over helmet requirements re-emerged. Reportedly, THB is studying the feasibility of bicycle helmet legislation again and will report the findings to the Panel on Transport of LegCo in July 2022.^{5Transport and Housing Bureau (2011, 2022).}
• Globally, mandatory wearing of bicycle helmets is implemented in at least 29 places, with a few advanced places (e.g. Switzerland, France and Singapore) switching from a voluntary approach to a compulsory approach over the past decade.^{6Whilst Switzerland had required obligatory helmets for riding fast electric bicycles since 2012, France mandated children aged under 12 to wear bicycle helmets in 2017. See Institute for Road Safety Research (2019) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2020).} More specifically on Singapore, its bicycle helmet law enacted in 2019 should have some reference value, given that its urban setting and road design are broadly similar to Hong Kong. This issue of Essentials reviews the policy developments on helmet requirements in these two places.

• Global trend in helmet law: Empirical studies show that protective helmets can reduce head injuries to cyclists from crashes by at least 50%, brain injuries by 88% and fatalities by 34%. At present, most countries (e.g. the Netherlands and Denmark) do not have a helmet law for bikers, partly because they try to avoid the association between dangers and cycling which is being promoted as a healthy activity. Also, there are concerns over the inconvenience caused to recreational bikers on the one hand, and limited supply of helmets for rental in face of growing popularity of bike-sharing on the other.^{7World Health Organization (2006), Hoye (2018a) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2018).}
  The number of places mandating the usage of bicycle helmets has so far increased to at least 29. Whilst some apply the mandate to youngsters aged 15 years old or below only (e.g. Sweden and Japan), others impose it on all cyclists (e.g. Australia and New Zealand). In the 2010s, France and Singapore enacted such bicycle helmet laws, with a view to reducing bike casualties as cycling became increasingly popular in these places.
• Bicycle safety policy in Hong Kong: It is believed that there are more bikers in Hong Kong than before due to progressive lengthening of cycle tracks in new towns from 170 km in 2004 to over 225 km at present. The "bicycle-friendly policy" launched in the mid-2000s has also led to more cycling for leisure and short-distance commuting. According to the Travel Characteristics Survey, the local population with knowledge of cycling rose by 13% to over 4 million during 2002 to 2011. The updated figure for 2022 scheduled for release in 2023 is expected to be even higher.
  For road safety reasons, it is an established policy of the Transport Department ("TD") not to encourage using "bicycles as a transport mode in urban areas". With high population density, there is a certain danger/hazard for local bikers to compete with motor vehicles for scarce space on busy and narrow streets and to navigate crowded pavements. According to a medical research study, the mortality rate per billion minutes cycled in Hong Kong was 34 in 2010-2012, far higher than those in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Stockholm.^{8The mortality rates for cycling per billion minutes were 18 in New York, seven in Los Angeles, four in Chicago and three in Stockholm. See Transport Department (2002, 2014) and Xu et al. (2019).}
• Policy review on bicycle helmets in 2011: Conceivably, wearing helmets should protect bikers themselves from serious injuries, though it may not help reduce accidents. As a matter of fact, TD noted that as many as 69% of cyclists suffering severe casualties during 2001 to 2021 were not helmeted.^{9The latest figure was provided by the Transport Department on request on 17 March 2022.} Therefore, mandatory helmet usage has been a recurrent issue in society.
  In 2010, bicycle accidents soared to a 10-year high of 1 914 cases, whereas 11 severe bicycle accidents at a black spot in Shatin had even occurred in just four months within 2009 (Figure 1).^{10Transport Department (various years) and 東方日報(2009).} To address cycling safety concerns, THB reviewed bicycle helmet requirements in 20 selected places and submitted study findings to the Panel on Transport in January 2011. THB noted that most of the selected places did not have such legislation, partly because it "might discourage cycling activities". With due regard to factors of "public acceptance" and feasibility of enforcement, THB preferred to promote usage of safety equipment through public education instead. Panel members nevertheless disagreed with this policy choice at the meeting, passing a motion to urge the Government to explore legislation to mandate wearing bicycle helmets.^{11Panel on Transport (2010, 2011), Transport and Housing Bureau (2011) and GovHK (2011).}
  Figure 1 – Bicycle accidents and severe casualties of cyclists in Hong Kong

  

  Source: Transport Department.
• Significant public support for compulsory helmet usage: According to the Travel Characteristics Survey released by TD in 2014, 90% of respondents were in favour of compulsory wearing of bicycle helmets. Amongst the surveyed cyclists, 71% considered that the mandatory helmet usage would not undermine their incentive to cycle, but about a quarter of them said they would cycle less frequently.^{12Transport Department (2014).}
• Resurgence of bicycle accidents since 2020: The number of local bicycle accidents then declined by a total of 26% between 2011 and 2019, but rebounded strongly by 72% to a record high of 2 994 cases in 2021. Allegedly, this jump was related in part to increased bike journeys made by casual riders, typically with inadequate safety awareness and road experience, upon the outbreak of COVID-19. Worse still, these accidents caused many fatalities (four deaths in 30 days in mid-2020 and three deaths within a week in November 2021). In face of public pressure for an updated review of a helmet law, the Government undertakes to consult the Panel on Transport by July 2022.^{13Transit Jam (2020), South China Morning Post (2021) and Transport and Housing Bureau (2022).}
• Key issues of concerns: First on the existing approach of public education, there are doubts over its effectiveness, given that 77% of casualties of cyclists were unhelmeted during 2020-2021.^{14Legislative Council (2017) and 東網(2021).} Secondly on the relationship between helmet regulation and cycling propensity, the survey findings in 2014 did suggest some adverse impacts brought by the former to the latter, as discussed before. By and large, some cyclists may consider that wearing a helmet is a matter of individual choice and this freedom should not be restricted.^{15Hong Kong Cycling Alliance (undated).} Thirdly on enforcement concerns, both TD and the Police may need to devote additional resources to monitor the behaviours of a large population of cyclists, should the proposed helmet law proceed further.

• Singapore is keen to develop cycling as a new transport mode to mitigate traffic congestion. To achieve the target of "car-lite" travel, the Land Transport Authority ("LTA") launched the "National Cycling Plan" in 2012, doubling the length of cycle paths within 10 years to 460 km in 2022, and will triple it further to 1 320 km by 2030. Further encouraged by facility enhancements (e.g. bicycle parking), 322 000 or a quarter of Singaporean households owned bicycles in 2017. Some 125 000 persons (i.e. 2% of total daily commuters) now rely on cycling as their principal mode of transport, compared with almost none two decades ago.^{16Rojas López and Wong (2017), Parliament of Singapore (2018), CNA (2020) and Ministry of Transport (2021a).}
• Policy review on cycling safety in 2018: Similar to Hong Kong, the Singaporean government used to promote cycling safety primarily through public education, whilst wearing bicycle helmets was entirely voluntary. As average fatalities of cyclists amounted to 16 per annum during 2010-2017, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel ("AMAP") suggested mandating cyclists to wear helmets when riding on roads (along with other safety measures) in August 2018. With as many as 77% of respondents supporting this recommendation in a public consultation, the Singaporean government amended both the Road Traffic Act and the Active Mobility Act in February 2019.^{17AMAP commissioned in July 2015 is led by the Minister of State, and comprises 15 representatives from seniors, youths, cyclists, users of new personal mobility devices and motorists. See Centre for Liveable Cities (2016), Active Mobility Advisory Panel (2018) and Land Transport Authority (2019).}
• Key statutory features: It is noted that compulsory wearing of bicycle helmets is an integral part of a package of measures (e.g. providing more bicycle parking spaces and lengthening cycle paths) designed to enhance cycling safety in Singapore. Here are the statutory requirements mainly related to usage of bicycle helmets:
  • (a)
    Compulsory use of helmets whilst cycling on roads only: All cyclists and their passengers are required by law to wear protective helmets meeting approved standards when cycling on roads, considering the greater risks they faced when riding alongside larger and faster vehicles. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of S$1,000 (HK$5,760) and/or up to a three-month imprisonment. Penalties are doubled for repeat offenders.

    For cycling on roads, there is no designated speed limit. Meanwhile, public education is strengthened to remind all road users of the need for safe sharing of roads and public paths;^{18Active Mobility Advisory Panel (2018), Land Transport Authority (2019) and Ministry of Transport (2021b).}
  • (b)
    Exemption from wearing helmets on cycle tracks and footpaths, albeit conditional on observation of maximum speed limits: However, the Singaporean law does not require bikers to wear helmets when cycling on cycle tracks and footpaths, or when crossing the road from one path to another. This is mainly to minimize the adverse impact on cycling activities.

    Nevertheless, cyclists on both cycle tracks and footpaths are subject to maximum speed limits to protect all cyclists and passengers, which were first set at 25 km/h and 15 km/h respectively in May 2018. Yet such a limit for footpaths was still deemed to be "too fast" especially so for blind spots and sites with heavy pedestrian traffic. After a review and with a view to allowing "all path users more time to react to unforeseen circumstances", the maximum cycling speed on footpaths was adjusted downwards by 33% to 10 km/h in February 2019. Penalties for speeding cyclists are the same as those failing to wear bicycle helmets on roads as discussed above;^{19Parliament of Singapore (2017), Active Mobility Advisory Panel (2018) and Land Transport Authority (2019).}
  • (c)
    Maximum weight/width of a bicycle: With a view to minimizing the impact of collisions and allowing bicycles and other personal mobility devices (e.g. e-scooters) to cross each other safely on footpaths, the Singaporean government laid down several statutory specifications for bicycles in May 2018. These include a maximum unladen weight of 20 kg and a width of 70 cm. Non-compliance is subject to a fine of up to S$5,000 (HK$28,800) and/or imprisonment for a maximum of three months;^{20Active Mobility Advisory Panel (2016).} and
  • (d)
    Stepping up enforcement: With more bicycle regulations coming into effect in 2018, LTA established a dedicated team of about 200 Active Mobility Enforcement Officers. They are equipped with speed guns and weighing scales for regular enforcement with the Traffic Police. On top of prosecution, they will also educate the public on safe riding practices. In July 2019, mobile closed-circuit television ("CCTV") camera systems were also deployed at hotspots to deter errant riders. Offences captured by CCTVs are followed up by investigations.^{21Parliament of Singapore (2019) and Yahoo News Singapore (2019).}
• Policy effectiveness: The bicycle helmet law in Singapore seems to have certain deterrent effects. Between February 2019 and September 2021, there were altogether 545 cases of helmet-related offences, averaging 17 offences each month. Three quarters of the offenders were subject to a composition fine of S$75 (HK$432). Also, 84 cyclists were prosecuted for bike speeding during 2020 to 2021.^{22The composition fine of cycling offences had doubled to S$150 (HK$864) since January 2022 to enhance the deterrent effect. See Parliament of Singapore (2021a, 2021b, 2022).} It is noted that bike fatalities had plunged by 54% to 7 cases between 2017 and 2020, concurrent with a 6% decrease in bike injuries to 556 cases. The mortality rate of cycling per million residents in Singapore had also plummeted by 61% to just 1.2 during 2010 to 2020, the lowest in the Asia-Pacific region.
  However, bicycle casualties in Singapore staged a visible rebound, to 11 deaths (i.e. two bike fatalities per million residents) and 751 injuries in 2021. To a certain extent, this was also related to the increased popularity of bicycles after the outbreak of COVID-19.^{23Department of Statistics Singapore (2022).}