Originally Posted by
rc5781
According to this study in the Netherlands:
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentra...89-020-08544-5
For the general population helmet use is not cost-effective. They are cost-effective for the elderly since they are more susceptible to TBI. If prices of helmets were lower by 20%, they would be cost effective for the general population.
So it's close, according to this one study in 2020. Another point is that the Netherlands is considered the 2nd safest country in Europe for cyclists behind Denmark.
I'm America, we have Fahrenheit 451 style aggressive drivers so if I rode mostly on the road I would probably wear a helmet. I mostly ride on sidewalks and bike trails to avoid cars, so I feel less of a need to wear a helmet.
I'm not sure you would have less hazards on a sidewalk. And interactions with hikers and dogs on the trails? That being said, if I was falling off my bike on a regular basis then it would make sense to wear a helmet all the time. I own a helmet so I wear it. I'm cheap like that, lol.