​New study shows majority of Santander cyclists shun head protection

• Research into cycling habits in the capital found that only 39% of those on Santander cycles wore a form of head protection
• Comparatively, 73% of those who bring their own bike take measures to protect their head

Hövding, the manufacturer of the revolutionary airbag for urban cyclists, released figures from its London cycling survey that examined the capital’s cycling habits. With a particular focus on head protection the study compared those who hired a bike to those who brought their own and found considerable differences between attitudes to safe cycling.

Around 270 million cycle* journeys were made in London last year with at least 71 people killed in cycling related accidents**. According to Hövding’s research, despite these high numbers London’s cyclists continue to take personal safety risks - particularly those cycling on rented cycles. A staggering 61 per cent*** of those using a Santander cycle failed to wear a helmet, whilst those who were cycling on their own bike were considerably more safety conscious – with only 27 per cent shunning any form of head protection.

Interestingly, the research also showed that only 24 per cent of commuters ride Santander bicycles with the vast majority now opting for to ride a personal bike.

Fredrik Carling, CEO of Hövding, commented, “Here at Hövding cycling safety is our number one focus. Whilst it’s great to see more and more of London cycling, our research shows a worrying amount of those who rent bicycles haven’t invested in protecting themselves properly.”

Mr Carling continued, “To date, we are aware of over 800 cases where Hövding’s airbag has potentially saved a cyclist’s life in an accident, and we are determined to raise awareness of our product in the UK and deliver greater cycling safety to urban cyclists.”

Hövding, the company behind the world’s first cycling airbag, offers the best on the market head protection for urban cyclists. Tested by Stanford University in 2016, Hövding was found to deliver eight times better protection against a risk of concussion compared to a traditional helmet and was described as “near-perfect” in preventing serious head injuries. Worn like a scarf and able to read cyclist’s body movements, Hövding fully activates in 0.1 seconds in the event of an accident and ensures that not only the head but also the cyclist’s neck is protected, by locking it safely in place.

* Interview with former London Cycling Commissioner Andrew Gilligan – 13 April 2017

** https://visionzerolondon.wordpress.com/latest-pedestrians-and-cyclists-deaths-in-london/

*** a total of 519 London cyclists on Santander and personal bikes used in the study