Fewer bike helmet fines
The number of cyclists fined for failing to wear a helmet has dropped 75 per cent over the past five years.
Figures provided under the Official Information Act show the annual number of $55 fines nearly halved from 4413 last year to 2618 this year.
The annual figure has dropped steadily from 2013/14, when 11,310 fines were handed out.
Some of the decrease could be attributed to a police focus on more serious infringements.
National road policing manager Inspector Peter McKennie said a greater focus was put on things like ‘‘people not wearing seatbelts; driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue; being distracted by phones and the like while driving; and travelling at unsafe speeds’’.
‘‘Also, the nature of many unsafe cyclist incidents are such that the need to comply with the safety rules can be delivered by other means, such as a conversation with the person to give them a clear understanding of the risks of their actions,’’ he said.
The issue of cycle helmets was raised earlier this year when the Choice Biking advocacy group held events pushing for a change to the helmet law that was introduced in 1994. Just 25 cyclists turned out for the Wellington event, and a subsequent Stuff poll had 70 per cent of 57,000 respondents saying all cyclists should wear helmets.
McKennie said cycle helmets were similar to seatbelts in that most of the time they would not be needed but when a crash did happen ‘‘not wearing one is a significant factor in whether a person survives any injuries’’.
‘‘The law to wear a helmet is in place due to the significant number of serious head injuries that were occurring when people crashed off their bikes. If they were not effective, they would not be a requirement for those participating in cycle races around the world. It is for your protection, it could save your life,’’ McKennie said.
Last year, 18 people on bikes were killed and more than 700 cyclists were injured on New Zealand roads – the highest annual number on record.
Cycle Action Network NZ project manager Patrick Morgan said compliance with the helmet law was high, with the latest Ministry of Transport figures showing 94 per cent of cyclists were wearing one.
His organisation is also calling for a review of the helmet law.