Record number of cyclists now wearing helmets in Danish cities

A record 55 percent of urban cyclists in Denmark wore helmets in 2025, marking a four-percentage-point increase from the previous year, according to a new survey by the Danish Council for Safe Traffic (Rådet for Sikker Trafik), DR reports.

The figure represents the highest usage rate since national records began in 2004, when just six percent of cyclists wore helmets. The council’s director, Jakob Bøving Arendt, called the trend a “success story” and credited decades of public awareness campaigns.

“More and more people buy helmets when we highlight how crucial they are,” Arendt said. “The development is moving in the right direction.”

The survey, conducted in 33 cities, observed over 11,000 cyclists—including both adults and children—and counted traditional helmets as well as airbag-style models.

For Frederik Engel Møller, a Copenhagen university student, personal experience drove the decision to wear a helmet. “I’ve fallen too many times,” he said. “I plan to live off my brain, so I’d better take care of it. A helmet might look silly, but a skull fracture looks even sillier.”

Yet not all cyclists have adopted the habit. Emil Kruse Svejdal, another student, admitted he often considers buying a helmet but finds it inconvenient to carry. “I think about it, but it’s annoying to lug around,” he said.

Despite the record high, 45 percent of urban cyclists still ride without helmets—a concern for safety advocates. Each year, 2,500 cyclists in Denmark are treated for head or neck injuries after accidents, according to the council.

“We’re not there yet,” Arendt said. “We need even more people to choose helmets.”