AMERICAN CITIES’ PREOCCUPATION WITH HELMETS MIGHT UNDERMINE MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PROTECT CYCLISTS.
THE UNHELPFUL WAYS CITIES TALK ABOUT BIKE HELMETS
CITYLAB
American cyclists have long been beset by a paradox: Despite wearing bicycle helmets at one of the highest rates in the world, they also have among the highest rates of cycling accidents and fatalities. There’s no doubt that city officials spend a lot of time talking up the safety benefits of helmets. But could the way they communicate that message actually be undermining overall bike safety?
By contrast, other cities depict cyclists of various races and genders in street clothes, some wearing helmets and others not. Culver cites the following promotional image from Minneapolis as a positive example of cyclist representation.