Traffic light coalition rejectsUnion politician calls for compulsory helmets for cyclists
The Union has spoken out in favor of a general obligation to wear helmets for cyclists. "Bikes should become more of a part of our mobility, so it's only logical that helmets should be compulsory," warned Thomas Bareiß, spokesman for transport policy for the Union faction in the Bundestag. The traffic light coalition sees it differently.
Berlin. The Union transport politician Thomas Bareiß has spoken out in favor of a general helmet requirement for cyclists. The traffic policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group said to "Welt": "Sooner or later we will have to talk about compulsory helmets in Germany." More and more people used the bicycle, which caused the number of accidents to rise rapidly. “Wearing a helmet, on the other hand, offers the best possible protection and should actually be mandatory for all cyclists today. The bike should become more and more part of our everyday mobility, so it is only logical that helmets should be worn to protect cyclists,” said the CDU politician.
In Germany, there is no obligation to wear helmets for cyclists. According to ADAC, for example, a helmet can protect against many head injuries in the event of a fall.
Traffic light coalition against compulsory helmets
For the parliamentary groups of the traffic light coalition, a helmet requirement is not yet an option. Valentin Abel, FDP rapporteur on cycling, told the newspaper: "For me it's clear that we have to make cycling safer. On the one hand, this includes the call for cyclists to wear a helmet voluntarily for their own safety. On the other hand, it is important to make cycling safer through structural methods and all-encompassing urban planning.” Mandatory helmets, on the other hand, would make offers such as bike sharing almost impossible.
When asked by “Welt”, the SPD and the Greens also stated that they wanted to improve the safety of cyclists, above all with an improved road infrastructure. Both parties reject the obligation to wear a helmet.
