Rising number of Adelaide cyclists fined for riding without helmets
INCREASING numbers of cyclists are being busted riding without helmets at an average cost of more than $1000 a day in fines.
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INCREASING numbers of cyclists are being busted riding without helmets at an average cost of more than $1000 a day in fines.
Police said tougher enforcement of the mandatory helmet law was contributing to the increase in cyclists being caught.
The latest figures come as riding groups lobby for a change to mandatory helmet laws to “increase cycling participation rates’’.
Police figures show 4353 riders were caught flouting the helmet law last financial year — 603 more than the previous financial year and the highest since 2012.
Of those detected, more than 2300 were issued with a $158 fine.
National group Freestyle Cyclists said it “categorically opposed laws requiring adults to wear helmets’’ and held a helmetless protest ride in Adelaide last year.
Almost 3000 riders have signed its national petition against mandatory helmets and SA spokesman Dr Sundance Bilson-Thompson said there was “significant’ support for change in this state.
He said Australia and New Zealand were the only countries in the world with compulsory helmet laws, despite research showing 22 per cent of Australians would take up riding or cycle more if helmets were voluntary.
“And the response was extremely positive when I spoke against the laws at the Australian Walking and Cycling Conference in Adelaide in July this year,’’ Dr Bilson-Thompson said.
“Our stance is the laws haven’t worked and they haven’t decreased cycling accident rates.’’
Women were especially deterred by the mandatory helmet laws because they made cycling appear dangerous, Dr Bilson-Thompson said.
Police, however, said they supported the use of helmets for safety’s sake and reminded riders they were required on roads and public places such as footpath and off road bike tracks.
Traffic Support Branch Inspector Billy Thompson added that enforcement levels of helmet laws were on the rise.
“With the increase in people using bicycles on the state’s roads for both recreation and transportation, police have a correlated increased focus on ensuring all riders comply with the road rules by always wearing a helmet on roads and while in public areas,’’ he said.
Bike SA chief executive Christian Haag said bike helmets played a crucial part in rider safety.
“The increase in fines and cautions for helmet infringements are reflective of the fact that more and more people are riding in SA each year and, no doubt, also that SAPOL is focusing more on enforcing the cycling law, which is positive education message for our community,” he said.