In the crowded streets of Amsterdam, cyclists like Fallon Albrecht frequently ride without helmets, even as national campaigns promote safety. With more bicycles than residents in the Netherlands, the debate over helmet use contrasts deeply with the cultural significance of cycling. Statistics reveal that cyclist fatalities reached 246 last year, making them the highest among road users. Notably, around two-thirds of these deaths were due to head injuries, raising questions about the balance of cultural practices and road safety initiatives.
It's every person for themselves, Fallon Albrecht said while cycling on Thursday morning through a downtown Amsterdam intersection so chaotically busy that it once had its own livestream.
There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands, according to government figures. But bicycle helmets are far less common.
Annual statistics on traffic fatalities published by the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics on Thursday showed that road deaths among cyclists were the highest of any road user: 246 last year.
Since 2000, traffic accidents have claimed the lives of an average of 199 cyclists in the country each year, according to the statistics bureau.
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