Before we start, let’s first introduce what this is. The Safest Mile will be where we share safety tips, insight, and announcements. At Helbiz, the safety of our riders and those around them are our first priority. We want everyone on our scooters, mopeds, or bikes to have fun, get where they’re going, and feel safe doing so. We hope you all find this new program enlightening and interesting.
And now onto our first topic – helmets!
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, only half of all cyclists in the United States wear a helmet regularly. That number drops when it comes to scooters. As a study conducted by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows, 1 in 50 injured scooter riders in Washington D.C. was wearing a helmet.
Partnering with Cities on Safety
These numbers tell us that there’s a long way to go in terms of helmet adoption. We look at three venues to bridge the gap in adoption: education, availability, and technology.
In education and availability, we’ve seen at Helbiz that partnering with cities and local organizations is a great way to provide safety training and access to helmets. This provides tools to residents and promotes safe riding.
Across our markets, Helbiz has distributed thousands of helmets, participating in local events and partnering with area businesses to establish pick up locations for riders. We also make free helmets available for order on our Safety page.
“JetStream Federal Credit Union is proud to partner with Helbiz to help make our communities safer. Together, we have been able to provide helmets to members of our community and identify families that would benefit from access to alternative transportation services.”
Tabatha L. Cirgenski, Marketing Manager at JetStream FCU
Part of our mission is to make every rider aware of our safety recommendations and local requirements. Helbiz meets riders where they are, whether it’s setting up booths at local events such as a farmer’s market to distribute safety flyers or tailoring our app’s pop-up safety messages to reflect local regulations.
Using Technology to Promote Helmet Safety
Helbiz recently launched a facial recognition feature that asks users to verify helmet use by taking a selfie that the app confirms with AI. Depending on local regulations, this may be necessary to even start a ride.
As a result, thousands of riders have uploaded a helmet selfie before unlocking their scooters.
Helbiz is constantly evolving to ensure we improve rider safety. Helmets are just one piece of our Safest Mile initiative. Learn more about our commitment to safety at Helbiz.com/Safety and follow along for the next installment of our safety series.
