Hong Kong legal change to make helmets mandatory for cyclists postponed to 2025
More time needed to study age requirements and practices in other jurisdictions, government says
A proposed legal amendment to make helmets mandatory for cyclists in Hong Kong has been postponed to 2025, as authorities have said more time is needed to study the age requirements and practices in other jurisdictions.
The government said on Wednesday that it aimed to promote safety and reduce the number of accidents, while also ensuring a “bicycle-friendly” environment to encourage more residents to cycle for short-distance trips and reduce their use of motor transport.
“We are studying legislative amendments to introduce the mandatory requirement for cyclists to wear helmets, aiming to submit the legislative amendment proposal to the [Legislative Council] in 2025,” transport minister Lam Sai-hung said in a written response to lawmakers.
Lam was responding to questions from health sector lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen, who grilled authorities over their failure to meet a previously set target of 2023 for submitting amendment proposals.
The changes are expected to ensure mandatory wearing of helmets by cyclists, as well as drivers and passengers of motor tricycles and those in motorcycle sidecars.
“In studying the legislative amendments, we note that there are different legal requirements in various places,” the transport chief said.
Lam said the differences included whether cyclists needed to wear helmets everywhere or only in certain locations, and the mandatory age for the requirement.
