Ever since this study by the NIH gt It is generally understood that bike helmets can reduce harms by 85 . And yet, I see no social benefit from requiring them, and if anything there is a social harm. Children don't all have equal access to responsible parents, and I a, excluding them from this debate for that reason. One social cost argument I have heard is that it imposes costs through higher medical ills, especially when the biker is uninsured. With the implementation of the insurance mandate under the ACA, this point is now moot. Unless you think the subsidy for healthcare is a subsidy t not wear a helmet Bikers without a helmet will at some level be more careful and potentially lead to fewer accidents though of course, more severe . I genuinely would like to know if there are other reasons to mandate helmets.
Bicycle Helmet laws should only apply to minors as it causes no harm to others.