Victoria - Bicycles and Helmets
Many Australian states have provided for an exemption from the bicycle helmet requirement for Sikhs that wear a Dastaar.
Victoria’s law provides a general exemption for Sikhs wishing to ride a bicycle without a helmet.
You can ride a bicycle in VIC without a helmet if you:
are a Sikh
are wearing a turban, and
that turban makes it impractical to wear a bicycle helmet.
To ride a bike without a helmet, Sikhs need to be wearing a turban that makes it impractical to wear a bicycle helmet. A chotti dastaar or small turban may not make it impractical to wear a bicycle helmet. For example, a small turban may not prevent you from placing a helmet over the small turban.
An extract of the applicable law regarding helmets and bicycles in Victoria is contained below (emphasis added).
256 Bicycle helmets
(1) The rider of a bicycle must wear an approved bicycle helmet securely fitted and fastened on the rider's head unless—
(a) the Secretary has issued a certificate to the rider under subrule (4) and the rider complies with subrule (6); or
(b) the rider is exempt from this rule under subrule (7).
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
Note Approved bicycle helmet is defined in the dictionary.
(2) A passenger on a bicycle that is moving, or is stationary but not parked, must wear an approved bicycle helmet securely fitted and fastened on the passenger's head, unless—
(a) the passenger is a paying passenger on a three or four-wheeled bicycle; or
(b) the Secretary has issued a certificate to the passenger under subrule (4) and the passenger complies with subrule (6); or (c) the passenger is exempt from this rule under subrule (7).
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(3) The rider of a bicycle must not ride with a passenger on the bicycle unless the passenger complies with subrule (2).
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(4) The Secretary may issue a certificate stating that it would be impracticable, undesirable or inexpedient that the person named in the certificate wear a bicycle helmet while riding on, or being taken as a passenger on, a bicycle.
(5) The Secretary may make a certificate it issues under subrule (4) subject to conditions.
(6) A certificate issued under subrule (4) must be—
(a) carried by the person to whom it applies while the person is riding on, or being taken as a passenger on, a bicycle; and
(b) produced by the person to a police officer or authorised person when requested to do so.
(7) A person is exempt from wearing a bicycle helmet under subrule (1) or (2) if—
(a) the person is a member of a religious group; and
(b) the person is wearing a type of headdress customarily worn by members of that group; and
(c) the wearing of the headdress makes it impracticable for the person to wear a bicycle helmet.
State specific Sikh bicycle helmet laws: