Although wearing a helmet is mandatory until the age of 18, data suggests that nobody should cycle without one. The nationwide project On a Bike With a Helmet is preparing its 11th season of raising awareness about preventive safety protection for cyclists. Photo Credit: TMA / BD.
Czech Rep., June 8 (BD) – In 2020, 40 cyclists lost their lives on the road in the Czech Republic, four more than in the previous year, and 276 were seriously injured. The nationwide project On a Bike With a Helmet is therefore preparing for an 11th season, backed by the Road Safety Team in cooperation with the Czech Mountain Service, the Czech Police, and other partners. Together, they are drawing attention not only to the need for a helmet when riding a bicycle but also to other mandatory equipment to reduce the risk of injury.
According to police statistics, 494 cyclists have died in the Czech Republic in the last ten years, and during the same period, a total of 41,987 cyclists were involved in traffic accidents, almost two-thirds of whom were not wearing a safety helmet. Although helmets are mandatory until the age of 18, the data suggests that no one should cycle without one. In the last ten years, the largest share of victims among cyclists (116) were in the age group between 55 and 64, most of whom were men.
“People are starting to be more careful with each other. They take care of their safety by putting on bicycle helmets. While in 2011, 73% were not wearing one on their head during the collision, by 2020 the number decreased to 58%,” said Jan Polák, director of the Road Safety Team.
For 11 years, the On A Bike With A Helmet project has been helping to raise awareness about preventive safety protection for cyclists. It aims to persuade riders of bikes, scooters, and other electric means of transport, to use safety measures.
“We assume that, just like last year, many Czechs will spend their holidays in the country, where the conditions for cycling are ideal,” said Zuzana Pidrmanová, Head of the Prevention Department of the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic. “Therefore, we will again remind you of the basic preventive rules and draw attention to the most common mistakes that cyclists make. We want to appeal, among others, to adults, so that they also automatically protect their health with a helmet when riding a bike or scooter.”
Accidents involving cyclists and scooters are also an issue for the Czech Mountain Service, which is seeing a growing number of interventions every year in the summer season.
“Last year, we responded to 950 cyclist accidents, an increase of 169 cases compared to the previous year. Scooter riders also needed our help, we recorded 212 such accidents, which is 23 more year-on-year”, said René Mašín, head of the Czech Mountain Service.
The main goal of On a Bike With a Helmet is to use a communication campaign to reduce accidents, and especially the tragic consequences of traffic accidents involving cyclists related to not using or misusing safety features when cycling. The project is co-financed from the damage prevention fund of the Czech Insurers’ Bureau. Other important partners of the project include BESIP, the company Energie AG Bohemia, and the company Lesy České Republiky.
