Forsa Survey: One in Three Cyclists Does Not Wear a Helmet

Majority in Favor of Mandatory Helmets

Despite the widespread avoidance, the number of cyclists killed in Germany has recently increased. According to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office, 462 people died on bicycles last year, including 217 on pedelecs, which are also colloquially known as e-bikes. This represents an increase of 3.8 percent compared to 2024. Compared to 2015, the number of cyclists killed even increased by 20.6 percent.

A majority of the population is in favor of a legal regulation. In the Forsa survey, 54 percent of respondents supported a general helmet mandate for cyclists, while another 12 percent saw it as necessary at least for e-bike rides. Some neighboring countries already have mandatory regulations: In the Czech Republic, children and adolescents up to 18 years of age must wear a helmet; in Spain, all individuals outside built-up areas and those under 16 within built-up areas; in Austria, children up to their twelfth birthday; and in Sweden, all individuals under 15 years of age.

Personal Example

The 40-year-old Liss Hoffmann describes the consequences a fall without a helmet can have. She states that at the age of 18, she fell off her bike in the snow on her way to school and lost her front teeth. Since then, she has worn a helmet with a chin guard, "even for the 100 meters to the mailbox." She adds with a caveat: "A normal helmet probably wouldn't have protected me from that either."

The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) recommends wearing helmets primarily for children and older people. According to the organization, it primarily advocates for better infrastructure. "We need to ensure that we get continuous cycle paths and that we also sanction illegal parking that obstructs cycle paths," said Marc Zietan from ADFC North Rhine-Westphalia.

ADFC: Focus on Infrastructure

Zietan also pointed to the particular danger at intersections: accidents at junctions are the central problem in North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the state's traffic accident report presented in March, 106 cyclists died in the state last year, about a third more than the previous year. "We had 106 dead cyclists last year. That's too many," said Interior Minister Herbert Reul when presenting the report.

In total, the state registered around 21,984 accidents involving bicycles and pedelecs, about seven percent more than the previous year. WDR reported on the Forsa survey and the helmet mandate debate on June 3, 2026, in its program WDR aktuell.

Despite the rising number of victims and growing support for a helmet mandate, Germany remains committed to voluntary helmet wearing. Whether the federal government is considering a legal requirement in view of the increasing number of pedelec users killed is not evident from the available data.