Bosnian cyclists have managed to repeal their cumbersome and unfair law on the mandatory use of bicycle helmets.

ECF members the Centre for Environment have been in negotiations with the Bosnian authorities for some time now in an attempt to grow cycling and other sustainable modes in the country. Now, after six years of campaigning, the Law on Amendments to the Law on traffic safety on the roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been adopted, and mandatory wearing of helmets – abolished!

Repealing helmet use has been part of that amended legislation and is a way of growing cycle use and removing barriers to using the bicycle for people to use alternatives to motor vehicle use. We believe that all cyclists should be able to choose what they wear on their bikes, and should be respected if they choose to wear a helmet of if they choose not to. Mandatory helmet use reduces the number of cyclists and creates a barrier to future bicycle use (you can read more about ECF position on mandatory helmet legislation here). Sarajevo has a cycling modal share of only 3% which it desperately needs to develop.

Almost all Europeasn countries need to do more to move away from motorised transport, and Bosnia and Herzegovina has also found it very difficult to contain its rising vehicle use and road fatalities, as soon as road safety measures are introduced fatalities decrease but then rise again with car use continuously growing. From 2008 – 2011 it saw a fall of fatalities after the implementation of a road safety strategy but has again seen a rise in 2012 -13. Bosnia, like many countries around the world, has to deal with its growing motor vehicle fleets which has been steadily growing from 99 per 1000 people in 2005 to 210 per 1000 people in 2014. This becomes a more realistic proposition when we realise that around 50% of car journeys are actually under 5 km. We have huge potential for cycling, walking and public transport growth.

However, Bosnia also needs to put in place sound road safety interventions that calms motorised traffic and with this in mind the country has also been working to improve its road safety levels in line with European standards. Therefore, it has just this year introduced an amended traffic safety law with increased fines for speeding and drunk drivers, and multiple offenders facing tougher sanctions. 

Strong safety measures and barrier reducing measures for active modes can help modal shift to more sustainable transport, so we congratulations the Centre of Environment and Bosnia and Herzegovina and we hope that cycling can continue to grow in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

You can read about Centre for Environments work and their helmet story on their website here.