Friday, January 30 saw the release of the road safety report for the year 2025. And one thing is for sure, the numbers are far from encouraging. On the side of seriously injured and fatalities, the figures are on the rise (between 2 and 4% in 2025). While passengers in tourist vehicles remain the most affected, cyclists are not far behind. 234, which is 10 more than last year, lost their lives on the roads of France in 2025.
A crucial need for protection
In 2025, not only did the number of cyclists killed in road accidents increase by 4.5%, but additionally, of all the victims, more than half succumbed after a head injury, regardless of whether a third was involved in the incident or not.
☀️🚲N'oubliez pas, à #vélo, le casque est obligatoire pour les enfants de moins de 12 ans. Parents, pour la #sécurité de tous, n'hésitez pas à montrer l'exemple ! pic.twitter.com/lhkWqbTwdi
— Ministère de l'Intérieur (@Interieur_Gouv) May 5, 2018
On the side of scooters, monowheels, and gyropodes—also known as EDPM (electrically motorized personal transportation devices)—the situation is the same, if not worse. In 2025, 80 people lost their lives, which is 35 more than the previous year, marking an increase of 78%. The government blames this on sometimes reckless usage, especially among young people who ride in pairs or while wearing headphones, which is forbidden.
A mandatory measure that sparks debate
This is why the question of mandatory helmet use has recently entered the debate. Helmet advocates rely on medical opinions and reports that demonstrate a decrease in casualties...
is about motorcycles or scooters since the helmet requirement, and most importantly a little common sense.Encore le retour de cette arlésienne. Alors on recommence :
— Florent Giry (@Florent_Giry) January 31, 2026
✔️Oui c'est bien de mettre un casque à velo
❌ Non c'est pas bien de le rendre obligatoire, car cela dissuade la pratique quotidienne alors que les bénéfices de l'activité physique l'emportent sur les risques
1/3 https://t.co/zLW061jD10
However, they oppose a anti-helmet group, oddly made up of members of cycling associations (among others) who fear that making helmet use mandatory could discourage cycling. Similarly, some refer to a study conducted between 2016 and 2019 which suggests that wearing a helmet encourages riskier behavior and could even be a factor in accidents. During the period studied, the rate of fatal incidents was three times higher among helmeted cyclists than among others. For now, the debate is still open, but whatever happens, take care of yourselves!