A helmet that saves lives and money: why Ukraine needs a new safety standard for motorcyclists

Volodymyr Kreidenko, Ukrainian MP, deputy chairman of the Committee on Transport

Anyone who gets behind the handlebars of a motorcycle or moped knowingly takes a risk. But the difference between life and death is often measured not by speed, but by the quality of protection. Today, Ukrainian riders and passengers of two-wheeled vehicles have virtually no guarantee that their motorcycle helmet meets modern international safety requirements. And this is no minor issue - it’s a matter of life, health, and billions in losses for the state.

Ukrainian legislation already obliges drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds to wear helmets. This is clearly stated in paragraph 2.3 of the Traffic Rules approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1306. A fine of 510 UAH is imposed under Article 121 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for not wearing a helmet or for violating the rules of its use. However, the problem lies in the absence of any certification standards for these helmets. A rider can buy a cheap, low-quality product without any quality check and still formally comply with the law - even though such a “helmet” may not withstand even a minor impact.

This has direct consequences for safety. According to a study by the Institute for Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, helmet use remains critically low: only 61% of riders and passengers wear them, and among those, only 27% use certified helmets. In 2024, motorcycle and moped riders and passengers accounted for 87% of all injuries in accidents involving this type of transport and 8% of fatalities. As a result, Ukraine loses an enormous amount of human potential every year - only in 2021, the total number of years of life lost due to premature death or disability from road accidents exceeded 312,000.

The way out of this dangerous situation is to implement Regulation ECE No. 22.06 - a modern European motorcycle helmet safety standard. It requires not only impact resistance testing but also checks for rotational forces, protection at different speeds and angles of impact, as well as the effectiveness of visors and ventilation. In other words, these are helmets that provide much better protection for the head and neck in real-world crash conditions.

Introducing this regulation will create transparent market rules: only certified models will be allowed for sale. This will protect consumers from dangerous counterfeits and encourage manufacturers and importers to work according to international standards.

Skeptics may ask: will this be too expensive? Research shows that the minimum price of a helmet certified under the new regulation in Ukraine is currently about 2,500 UAH. By comparison, even for minor injuries, individual medical expenses for a rider or passenger without a helmet start at 22,000 UAH, and for severe injuries or disability can reach 5.4 million UAH. At every level of injury severity, wearing a quality helmet reduces treatment costs - from 6% for minor injuries to 40% for critical ones.

The impact on the state budget is no less striking. In 2024, the government spent 156 million UAH on medical care for injured motorcyclists and passengers. If helmet use does not increase, this amount could reach 472 million UAH annually by 2030. In contrast, with full coverage by certified helmets, annual savings on medical expenses alone would amount to 306 million UAH.

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Macroeconomic losses from deaths and injuries in motorcycle and moped accidents in 2024 are estimated at 30.6 to 34.5 billion UAH - up to 0.45% of the country’s GDP. The economic value of a single life lost is estimated at 4.7 to 14.4 million UAH, and for disability up to 14.8 million UAH. If the share of certified helmets rises to 100%, the economy would gain a socio-economic benefit of 7.4 to 21.8 billion UAH per year, equivalent to 0.1-0.28% of GDP. By 2030, this effect could reach 0.92% of GDP - tens of billions of hryvnias saved on healthcare, social payments, and the restoration of human capital.

Implementing Regulation ECE No. 22.06 is not only about saving individual lives; it is a strategic economic decision. It will help reduce pressure on the budget, preserve workforce productivity, create a civilized motorcycle goods market, and fulfill international commitments to reduce road deaths.

Every motorcyclist who chooses a certified helmet makes a personal contribution to this common cause. Because a helmet is not just an accessory. It is a guarantee that a trip will end at home, not in a hospital or in mortality statistics. And the state must do everything possible to make this choice obvious and accessible to everyone.