This paper was presented at the VeloCity Global Conference in Adelaide, South Australia, 29th May, 2014. It draws attention to the overwhelming evidence that mandatory helmet laws have decimated cycling as an everyday activity, with cycling levels still well below those before the laws were introduced, despite substantial investment in bicycle infrastructure. The community has suffered higher health and transport costs as a result of this poorly-thought-out law (there was no analysis of costs and benefits before the laws were introduced). Now, despite (or perhaps because of) all the evidence, the 'policy protectors' in the public service and government want to pretend that all is well and to deny that a change might be desirable. Full paper is available at http://www.slideshare.net/Catalystian/lifting-the-lid-on-western-australias-helmet-laws-full-paper

1. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Neo-Political Action and a
New Public Policy Paradigm:
A case study of mandatory bicycle helmet laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Full paper available from:
http://www.perthurbanist.com/category/transport-3
or email
catalystian@netscape.net

2. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Evidence and Policy
• Evidence-based policy
• Evidence-informed policy
– Directions 2031 (Metro Planning WA)
• Ideology – evidence-free policy
– Mandatory cycle helmet laws 1990-92
– Elizabeth Quay/Burswood Stadium (WA)
• Evidence-denying policy
– Climate change
– Carbon tax
– Forced local government amalgamations
– Shark ‘culls’ in WA
– Mandatory cycle helmet laws 2014

3. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
If Governments Will Not Respond To Evidence…
• Concerned and informed citizens must take the initiative
– Michael Haynes – Head Organiser / Graduate Urban and Regional Planner
– Ian Ker – Principal, CATALYST; Adjunct Professor Transport Studies, Curtin University
– Brad Pettitt – Mayor of Fremantle
– Tim Milsom – CEO Fremantle Chamber of Commerce
– Heinrich Benz – Director Bicycle Transport Alliance
– Annie Matan – Professor Sustainable Transport CUSP
– Sam Newman – Urban and Regional Planner
• Our Goal:
– To initiate a Western Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into cycling in Western Australia
and safety initiatives
• Our Focus:
– Ensure bicycle helmet laws are included in a parliamentary inquiry
– Represent utility cycling in Western Australia
– Discuss the impact of bicycle helmet laws as part of wider social, health, and safety
context

4. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
What’s the Problem?
• Most (70% in UK) on-road cyclists admitted to hospital had injuries that
would not have been mitigated or prevented by a helmet; and
• Most (90% in UK) did not have impact injuries that would have been
mitigated or prevented by a helmet.
Image: Flickr/Amsterdamized

5. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
What’s the Real Problem?
• Focussing on 10% of injuries distracts attention from other means of
improving cyclist safety
 Mandatory helmet laws have reduced the level of cycling activity to
the detriment of both those deterred from cycling and those who
continue to cycle
 The Australian policy process provides no effective way to have an issue
debated when governments and bureaucrats are in denial.

6. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Helmet laws in context
Mandatory Helmet Laws
Cycle UsageCyclist Safety and Health
Head InjuriesOther Injuries
Risk Compensation?
Safety in Numbers?
Trip purposesMode Share
Injury and Illness
Outcomes
Resources Used
in Transport
Social Inclusion
or Exclusion
Trip Lengths
Health and Fitness
– Obesity
– Disease
Retrospective Evaluation
Reversibility?
Prospective Evaluation
Intrinsic Effect of
Helmets
Effect of Compulsory
Helmets
Other Health Outcomes
– Heat Stress
– Skin Cancer
Mandatory Helmet Laws
Cycle UsageCyclist Safety and Health
Head InjuriesOther Injuries
Risk Compensation?
Safety in Numbers?
Trip purposesMode Share
Injury and Illness
Outcomes
Resources Used
in Transport
Social Inclusion
or Exclusion
Trip Lengths
Health and Fitness
– Obesity
– Disease
Retrospective Evaluation
Reversibility?
Prospective Evaluation
Intrinsic Effect of
Helmets
Effect of Compulsory
Helmets
Other Health Outcomes
– Heat Stress
– Skin Cancer
Areas often ignored

7. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Intrinsic Effects of Helmets:
Heat Stress
• Studies do not show greater heat build-up with helmets
– <35ºC and not in extreme humidity
• People do apparently perceive that helmets are
uncomfortable in warmer conditions
– Reduction in cycling to work was greatest and the recovery
least in hotter cities

8. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Intrinsic Effects of Helmets:
Risk Compensation
• Risk-taking by cyclists
– “…those who use helmets routinely perceive reduced risk when
wearing a helmet, and compensate by cycling faster.”
Phillips R O, Fyhri A and Sagberg F (2011). ‘Risk Compensation and Bicycle Helmets’. Risk Analysis 31 (8) 1187-1195.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2011.01589.x/pdf
 Risk-taking by motorists
 “…overtaking motorists pass closer to a bicyclist when the rider wears
a helmet.”
Walker I (2007). ‘Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and
apparent gender’. Accident Analysis and Prevention 39, 417-425.
http://forum.vikingscycling.org.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=907&d=1282117052
 Real effect but more evidence and research needed

9. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Are Compulsory Helmets a Barrier to Cycling?
• Not simply ‘having to wear a helmet’ but also the
clear implication that cycling is unsafe.

10. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Cycle Usage
• Agreement there was immediate reduction of around 30–40%
• Disagreement about extent of ‘recovery’ since then
– Paucity of evidence
• Tendency to see absence of evidence as evidence of absence
– Conflicting evidence
• Disproportionately discourages low-risk cycle use and users
– Short utility trips on local streets
• WA clearly very slow recovery
– Overall bicycle mode share down from 5.2% (1986) to 1.7% (2006)
– Journey to work still below 1991
– But Perth Bicycle Network counts show strong growth

11. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Cycle Usage in WA
• Problem identified by 1996
52.3%
20.0%
8.0%
3.1%
16.5%
60.1%
14.3%
8.7%
5.2%
11.7%
63.6%
17.2%
5.5%
1.7%
12.1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Car Driver Car
Passenger
Public
Transport
Cycle Walk
Modeshare(%oftrips)
1976 1986 2006
• Overall bicycle mode share down from 5.2%
(1986) to 1.7% (2006)
 Even with population growth, total cycle trips
down by 30%.
9%
47%
14%
30%
Work
School
Shopping
Other
20%
31%
6%
43%
2006
1986

12. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Cycle Usage in WA
• Problem identified by 1996
 Overall bicycle mode share down from 5.2%
(1986) to 1.7% (2006)
9%
47%
14%
30%
Work
School
Shopping
Other
20%
31%
6%
43%
2006
1986
16,300
87,300
27,100
55,200
17,000
26,800
5,500
36,900
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
Work School Shopping Other
Cycletripsperweekday
1986 2006
16
83
26
53
11
18
4
24
-
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Work School Shopping Other
Cycletripsper1000personsper
weekday
1986 2006

13. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Cycle Usage in WA
• Problem identified by 1996
0.96%
1.17%
1.44%
1.57%
1.03%
1.12% 1.16%
1.37%
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
Bicyclemodeshare-journeytowork
1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
 Overall bicycle mode share down from 5.2%
(1986) to 1.7% (2006)
 Journey to work still below 1991
 But Perth Bicycle Network counts show strong
growth – where quality infrastructure is built
16,300
87,300
27,100
55,200
17,000
26,800
5,500
36,900
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
Work School Shopping Other
Cycletripsperweekday
1986 2006
16
83
26
53
11
18
4
24
-
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Work School Shopping Other
Cycletripsper1000personsper
weekday
1986 2006

14. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Safety in Numbers
• “…the likelihood that a given person walking or bicycling will
be struck by a motorist varies inversely with the amount of
walking or bicycling.”
• “a community doubling its walking [or bicycling] can expect a
32% increase in injuries.”
Jacobsen P L (2003). ‘Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling’. Injury Prevention, 2003; 29:
pp205-209. http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/9/3/205.full.pdf+html
• For WA, a tripling of the number of regular cyclists resulted in
a 50% increase in cyclist hospital admissions.
– 33% for doubling of cycle use
• Individual cyclists safer with experience/maturity and
frequency of cycling.
• Reduction in cycling activity reduces safety for those who
continue to cycle, especially if they also cycle less frequently.

15. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist -12
9.8
19.6
-12
49
98
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Roadtrauma
Healthandfitness:Cycling
Healthandfitness:Walking
Centsperkilometre
Year 1
Year 5
Effect of Compulsory
Helmets
• Health and fitness
– Four times cyclist road trauma cost
 Social inclusion or exclusion
 Local utility access
 People without drivers’ licence or car
 Resources used in transport
 Car operating costs
 Traffic congestion
 Already exceeds car operating costs
 Triple in next 25 years
 Car parking
Car Operating
Cost

16. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Benefits of Cycling
• On the basis of health and safety impact only, but including reduction in cycling
activity:
– …where cycling is safe, a helmet law is likely to have a large unintended negative
health impact.
– …where cycling is relatively unsafe, helmets will do little to make it safer and a helmet
law, under relatively extreme assumptions may make a small positive contribution to
net societal health.
De Jong P (2012). ‘The Health Impact of Mandatory Bicycle Helmet Laws’. Risk Analysis 32 (5) 782-790
29%
32%
14%
20%
5% Transport operating
costs
Congestion
Car parking
Road trauma and
health
Environment
 Add all the other foregone benefits of cycling and net benefit is extremely
unlikely.

17. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Selective Law Enforcement
• “It is outrageous that police do not fine the
‘interlopers’ immediately.”
• “…they are still fining cyclists for not wearing
helmets or for riding on footpaths.”
Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University

18. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Effect of Compulsory Helmets:
Inhibiting Innovation
• ‘Invisible’ helmet
 Folding helmet
 ‘Cardboard’ helmet

19. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Key Issues
• Reversibility
– Generation of non-cyclists
– Perception of danger instilled by compulsory helmets
• Achievability
– Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry recommended trial removal of
some elements of mandatory helmet laws
– Minister of Transport immediately said “No” because “helmets
work”
• Need to increase awareness of distinction between
individual safety and population health.

20. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
E-Petitions: An Alternative
Public Policy Model
• Overcome ‘evidence-denial’.
• By-pass the policy protectors.
• Demonstrate level of concern.
• 100,000 in UK equivalent to
35,000 in Australia.
• 17 petitions debated in the
UK Parliament.

21. A Case Study in Mandatory Helmet Laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Neo-Political Action and a
New Public Policy Paradigm:
A case study of mandatory bicycle helmet laws
Ian Ker, CATALYST
Michael Haynes, Perth Urbanist
Full paper available from:
http://www.perthurbanist.com/category/transport-3
or email
catalystian@netscape.net