Children, and young adults (18 and under) are required to wear a helmet. Adults over the age of 18 are exempt from being required to have to wear a helmet by law.

Helmets may help protect the cyclist from serious head injury, in case of a crash or collision. Critics argue, however, that mandatory helmet laws may discourage ridership, which makes the roads less safe.

In countries where a significant investment in cycling infrastructure has been made, car and bike lanes are built to separate car and bike traffic. Toronto does not have a fully connected network of physically separated bike routes. Wearing a helmet is a smart way to protect your head, when mixing with motor vehicle traffic.

A visit to the CSA helmet testing facility
The City of Toronto was recently invited on a tour of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) helmet testing facility. We learned a ton of interesting facts about what a helmet has to go through before it makes it on to your head!

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The Bike Helmet Law and Fines
Cyclists under 18 are required by law to wear an approved bicycle helmet when riding a bike on a roadway or sidewalk in Ontario. The law was passed on October 1, 1995. Some communities in Ontario have passed by-laws requiring cyclists under 18 to wear helmets wherever they ride. More information about the Province of Ontario Bike Helmet laws...

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CANBIKE Courses
Learn from the best! All instructors are fully accredited in CAN-BIKE, are knowledgeable about the Highway Traffic Act and have advanced cycling skills. More information about the courses...