Helmet requirement for e-bikes?
Minister Madlener would like to introduce a helmet requirement for fatbikes and e-bikes, like in Sweden
The number of road casualties involving e-bikes and fat bikes is under scrutiny. The number of casualties among people aged 12 to 17 has already quadrupled in five years. In the first four months of 2024, 50% of the 2023 figure will already have been reached.
Besides the accidents and casualties, there's also public irritation about the driving style and speed of the average fat bike rider. This, exacerbated by calls from doctors and (trauma) surgeons, is driving politicians to intervene.
The obvious solution is to tackle the "fat bike." But in reality, it's an e-bike with thicker tires. There's no real way to distinguish it from a "regular" e-bike. The PVV's call for a ban on fat bikes is proving difficult to achieve. The most recent announcement from Minister Barry Madlener (Infrastructure) is that, under pressure from the House of Representatives, he is taking measures against fat bikes. He believes a mandatory helmet for children is negotiable, but he warns that this requirement should apply to all electric bikes.
If helmets are made mandatory, it's likely that an NTA 8776 helmet will be required. Just like mopeds, which also have a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour, these are speed pedelec helmets that, in addition to the standard CE certification, also have an NTA certificate.
It's said that the nuisance arose because moped users switched to fat bikes. Due to the lack of regulations, this problem has spread to younger age groups.
The bicycle helmet suitable for mopeds is already widely used and available. Anything with a motor will most likely come into contact with some form of helmet.
