Annotation

The principal debate concerning the use of bicycle helmets by cyclists unfolds not so much within academic legal circles as among road users themselves, thereby necessitating scholarly reflection and the translation of public controversy into the realm of legal doctrine. The article presents a comparative legal analysis of foreign models regulating the mandatory wearing of bicycle helmets, on the basis of which three fundamental approaches are identified: strict imperative, differentiated by age and road type, and advisory with prioritised infrastructure development. Employing the method of socio-legal analysis, the article examines the public demand emerging within the Russian cycling community. The arguments of both proponents and opponents of mandatory helmet use are systematised and critically evaluated. The theoretical and practical significance of the work lies in translating this polemic into the language of legal constructs and in substantiating the phased introduction of mandatory helmet use for the most vulnerable categories of road users.