Helmets and safety vests are mandatory for cyclists under 12 years old. Should adults lead by example? The debate is lively. As of March 22, there is no longer a question for a child to ride a bike without a helmet. All cyclists under the age of 12 will be required to wear one, whether on their own or riding in front or on the back of a bicycle.
Not too much forward, not too much backwards
The helmet must be marked "CE" and of course attached. To play its role perfectly, it must be positioned straight on the head, neither too much forward, nor too far behind; the straps must pass above and below the ears and the chinstrap must be tight.
It is also necessary to avoid, as for a motorcycle helmet, to drop it on the ground or to hit it. Nothing forbids however to choose a model with pretty colors, or add stickers, so that the child who has tried and chose the door willingly. The choice is quite wide in specialized supermarkets with a varied price range, from less than 10 € to more than 35 €.
Serious injury to the head
Road Safety took advantage of the coming into force of the measure to encourage adults to set an example. She recalled that a study by a research institute showed that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of serious head injuries by three. For its part, the French Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB) believes that the helmet is essential for sports on the road, mountain biking and learning to bike. However, she is against a general obligation that she believes would discourage cycling while this practice is beneficial to health.
Lower the speed of cars
The FUB considers that wearing a helmet is not the right measure to reduce bicycle accidents and deaths. "The key issue is the reduction of speeds," says the association, which claims, for cars, a limitation to 30 km / h in cities and the generalization of 80 km / h on the secondary network. For safety, the other priority is improving the visibility of cyclists (see box below). Finally, the FUB advocates for mandatory learning of bicycle mobility before the end of primary school, which for under-12s would be a real measure of "road safety ... and public health".
Ride well lit
If you drive at night or when visibility is insufficient, your bike must be equipped with a front and rear light, which must not be flashing lights (not approved to date), and reflective devices (reflex reflectors) especially on the wheels and on the pedals. The lights provided with new bikes are often inefficient. For powerful fires, you will need to invest between 50 and 100 €, according to the FUB. This represents a cost, of course, but it is your own security. The extra lamps, to hang on the helmet, the rack, etc., are useful; but they cannot replace the mandatory lights on the bike.
Finally, improve your visibility by wearing light-colored clothes or, better, by equipping you with reflective elements: sewing strips on the backpacks or simple armbands (2 to 4 € in a sports shop). Out of town, at night, wearing a reflective vest is mandatory.
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