Safety

Bike helmets and cycling safety: what does my child need to know?

Written by the Kids by Molliora editorial team, based on the sources below. Last updated: 29 October 2026

Short answer

In Sweden, all children and young people under 15 must wear a helmet when they cycle or ride as a passenger on a bike, even inside a fenced area (Transportstyrelsen). The same applies on an e-scooter (NTF). A helmet that fits well makes a real difference: in a large review of 40 studies with more than 64,000 injured cyclists, helmet use was linked to 51% lower odds of head injury and 69% lower odds of serious head injury (Olivier & Creighton 2017). NTF recommends helmets for everyone, whatever their age. If your child hits their head hard in a fall, call 1177 for advice, or 112 if it is urgent (1177).

Rule or advice	What applies	Source
Helmet, under 15	Required by law on a bike, as a bike passenger and on an e-scooter. Police can stop a child without a helmet, but cannot fine them	Transportstyrelsen, NTF
Carrying a child without a helmet	A parent or anyone aged 15 or over can be fined	Transportstyrelsen
The bike	Must always have a bell and brakes	Transportstyrelsen
Cycling in the dark	White or yellow front light, red rear light, and reflectors: red at the back, white at the front, white or orange-yellow at the sides	Transportstyrelsen
Cycling on the pavement	Allowed up to and including the year the child turns 8, if there is no cycle path	Transportstyrelsen
E-scooter	No passengers. No legal age limit in Sweden for e-scooters classed as bikes, but rental companies set their own age limits	NTF

Why the helmet matters

The head is the most fragile part of the body, and even a moderate knock can cause brain injury (NTF). A 2017 systematic review in the International Journal of Epidemiology combined 40 studies with more than 64,000 injured cyclists. For cyclists in a crash or fall, wearing a helmet was linked to 51% lower odds of head injury, 69% lower odds of serious head injury and 65% lower odds of fatal head injury (Olivier & Creighton 2017).

The law covers children under 15, but NTF recommends that everyone wears a helmet.

How a helmet should fit

Check the label: a bike helmet for children over 7 and adults should be marked CE EN 1078 (NTF).
Under about 7 years: NTF recommends a small-child helmet with a green buckle (EN 1080). It opens if the child gets caught, for example on a climbing frame (NTF).
Not too big: do not buy a helmet for the child to grow into. It should sit firmly and comfortably so that it cannot fall off or slide backwards (NTF).
Cover the forehead: the helmet should cover the forehead, the top and the back of the head. About 70% of head impacts in bike accidents hit the forehead and temple (NTF).
Adjust it: use the dial at the back so it fits, even with a winter hat. If it still does not sit well, choose a smaller size (NTF).
Replace it after a hard knock, or if it is damaged (NTF).

Where children may cycle

Cyclists ride on the right. If there is a cycle path, you should normally use it. Children up to and including the year they turn 8 may cycle on the pavement if there is no cycle path (Transportstyrelsen). From 15, you may ride on the road even where there is a cycle path, if you are especially careful and the speed limit is no more than 50 km/h (Transportstyrelsen).

There is no exact age when a child is ready to cycle in traffic alone. NTF lists what a child needs to manage: judging speed and distance, seeing things from another person’s point of view, understanding risks, doing several things at once and getting an overview of a complicated traffic situation. Practise together on the routes your child will use, such as the way to school.

E-scooters

Under-15s must wear a helmet on an e-scooter too, and NTF recommends a helmet for everyone who rides one. You may not carry a passenger on an e-scooter (NTF). In Sweden there is no legal age limit for an e-scooter that counts as a bike (top speed 20 km/h and continuous power of at most 250 watts), but NTF stresses that the child must be able to ride it safely. When renting, follow the company’s age rules (NTF).

If an e-scooter is faster or more powerful than that, it no longer counts as a bike. Riding it can then count as unlicensed driving, and a parent can be held responsible if the child is under 15 (NTF).

Try this week

Check this week that your child’s helmet still fits and that the buckle closes properly.
Check the bell, brakes, lights and reflectors before the dark months.
Ride your child’s route to school together once and talk about the tricky spots.

When to get help

Seek emergency care right away or call 112 if your child loses consciousness even briefly, has a seizure, gets worse after a while (more headache, very tired or hard to reach), starts feeling sick or vomiting within a few hours, gets bruises around the eyes or behind the ears, or has had a hard blow to the head, for example after cycling fast and falling (1177).

If you are unsure whether your child needs care after a fall, call 1177 for advice (1177). Read more in our guide on concussion.