Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
The Dutch government has this week launched a campaign to encourage people to wear helmets while cycling in the Netherlands. The aim is to get the Dutch people to change their minds about helmets by highlighting the fact that hundreds of cyclists end up in hospital every day due to bike accidents.
The Netherlands as a country is big on cycling. What it’s not big on, however, is cycle helmets. Indeed, just 4 percent of cyclists in the Netherlands wear a helmet regularly, according to government figures.
While the excellent bicycle infrastructure and societal norms in the Netherlands might make cyclists feel that wearing a helmet is unnecessary or even embarrassing, the statistics tell another story. Last year, 74.300 cyclists ended up in A&E departments after having accidents on their bikes. That’s the equivalent of almost 200 emergency room visits each day.
According to figures from VeiligheidNL, more than half of these A&E visits were for serious injuries, including broken bones, minor brain damage, or even serious damage to brains and skulls. With the increasing use of electric bikes that are capable of faster - and therefore more dangerous - speeds, the proportion of serious injuries is growing.
Concerned about this trend, the Dutch government has this week launched a national “Zet ‘m Op” (Put It On) campaign to encourage more people to voluntarily wear a helmet while cycling. The goal is to get 25 percent of the population wearing a helmet in 10 years, NOS reports.
In a bid to increase “self-conviction” among the population, the campaign will try to increase acceptance of bike helmets, for instance, by arranging “try-out” events where people can try out helmets. The government will also work with manufacturers to try to make helmets more attractive, and offer discounts for anyone choosing to purchase one.
The campaign is primarily aimed at parents of young children, commuters, and people over the age of 55. Evidence shows that people in the older age bracket make up almost half of all cyclists who end up in A&E, while children under the age of 11 are also over-represented among the casualties.
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