Most parents would support a mandatory helmet law for children, claims surge - safety concerns are paramount

Saw a guy trying to teach his kids to ride bikes in the park last weekend. Bikes they were using appeared to be his bmx's, rather than actual kid's bikes. He was berating his son for not using his brakes and nearly crashing into someone walking their dog, making sarcastic comments about what the brake lever was for. It was only as the boy rode past me later on i noticed that one of the brakes was missing a cable. I nearly went and had a word, but British reservedness stopped me. I've regretted it since.

Before you start sharpening your pitchforks and marching on Frog HQ because they asked a question whose answer you object to, you may wish to re-read the article. They aren't endorsing the opinion but given the response this debate generates it's a bit foolish using it as click bait.

Several people also seem to be building a straw man argument that because a parent wants their child to wear a helmet that they do not also want better infrastructure, driver behaviour and enforcement. That's just nonsense.

Both Frog and Isla bikes sell kids helmets through their websites by the way. Neither of them make any recommendation on whether or not they should be worn though.

Parents concerned about children's safety & want them to wear helmets

But...

Can't be arsed to make sure bikes are correctly maintained. Use to do Dr bike sessions & most kids bikes were only ever checked then.

Can't be arsed to ensure children have lights at night. Most unlit people on bikes I see are kids

Can't be arsed to drive at or below the speed limit.

Can't be arsed to give plenty of time and space when overtaking children cycling

if these parents who want a helmet law are unable to make their children wear one without legislation effecting the whole country they'll also soon be after laws forcing everyone to go to bed by 8 on a school night, not have sweets before meals and no playing video games before they've done their homework.

I was considering Frog as an option for my 7 year old's next bike. Currently we're the proud owners of an Islabike for the kids.

Frog have just crossed themselves firmly off the list for wantonly straddling the Bike Danger highwheeler.

So, thanks for that, it simplifies my choices greatly and removes any temptation to be unfaithful to a brand that started the decent bikes for kids niche.

What a load of rubbish.

"Parents want mandatory helmet law (says seller of bike helmets)."

As a parent I don't want a helmet law, but I definitely DO want safer streets, and fewer cars (especially driving down the pavements outside my daughter's school).

So I won't be buying a frog bike any time soon then.

"But that’s not putting parents off, with only one in five (22 per cent) saying the roads were too dangerous to allow their child to cycle more often."

a little surprising and I hate to be negative but as far as I can see looking at the Frog website the 1000 respondents would be Frog customers which would make them more interested in cycling than many parents and possibly a little more aware of the dangers of riding in traffic and how to deal with it or live in an area where cycling isn't an unusual way of getting around

live in Melbourne Aus' with compulsory helmets even for kids on scooters - I ride to school with my younger daughter and the dangers are cars and trucks too close and too fast because the drivers aren't looking beyond the vehicle very close in front and drivers simply not observing you at junctions - helmets only mitigate the injuries in some collisions or falls - they don't make riding any safer

making helmets compulsory won't move kids out of cars - here's a survey (one class in a 600 pupil school but representative) and we have manned crossings and some car free cyclepaths

mandatory helmets? I'll bet that survey question was a leading one as well designed to get the answer they wanted...

Most parents will cling to any illusory safety simply to feel better about their anxiety re their kids... So of course they would.

Or they could just buy their kids a helmet...

This parent doesn't want mandatory helmet law. This parent is moving her kids to the Netherlands where we can cycle to our hearts content without wearing one.
I've been over to find a place to live and within a week of being back iin the UK I'm having arguments with police as to why they don't think cars ignoring the highway code should get a talking to at the very least. The police couldn't see a danger to other users, as in drivers, completely oblivious to the school kids on foot trying to cross a busy junction littered with parked cars who weren't technically breaking the law because there were no lines on the road.
The highway code says they are wrong but the highway code isn't law. Helmets wont protect kids walking across the road or young cyclists who are trying to turn right with their view obscured by selfishly parked cars. Junctions with cycle provision will, banning all street parking in towns unless it's in an officially marked parking space will.
The idea that helmets will protect children from the lawlessness and complete ignorance of the police and the general poor standard of driving here, is horrible and tragic.
I've been forced to leave my my own country because I don't want to drive a car and being made to wear a helmet is just one more insult on top of the rest. I've had enough, the car is not more important than people whatever the police seem to think.
I don't need a helmet, I need a country that gives a damn about cyclists.

I remember when i was growing up and we all rode bikes and didnt wear helmets.
The streets were littered with dead or dying children who had fallen off their bikes. It was carnage.
Its the same when you go to the continent where, despite the British knowing best with regards helmets, almost no-one seems to follow our lead and consequently the segregated bike paths are lined with dead, helmetless people.
This slaughter must stop and mandatory helmet laws are the only answer.

The vast majority of parents questioned didn't know their arse from their elbow regarding helmet compulsion. Probably too busy using their mobile while driving.

99% might believe that it's good to learn to ride but many drivers feel cyclists should keep off their roads, they are for cars. Fear of traffic is the number 1 reason why 95% of kids are ferried to school (and everywhere else) in cars.

If you charge for Bikeability you'll get even lower uptake than now, when it's free.

It's bollocks, the level of hypocrisy is stunning.