Always wear a helmet
Never use a damaged helmet
Make sure your helmet is the right size for you and it fits firmly (but not too tightly) 
Wear your helmet properly.

Cycle Helmets - How to choose the right one for you
First measure you head first using a tape measure and remember to measure in centimeters.
Make sure that your helmet that touches your head all the way around the rim and at the top
Tighten the chin strap(adjust if required) the back straps and secure the buckle so it’s on tight (But not too tight).
The back and chin straps should meet just below your ear lobe. Make sure the chin strap stays in as straight a line as possible.
The helmet should sit about 1-1.5 cm above your eyebrows. That’s about 1-2 fingers
Tighten the back strap and secure the buckle so it’s on tight (But not too tight) make sure the chin strap is secure.
The top of your helmet should move a little bit when you move it in the direction towards your eyebrows and then back towards your
neck (But not too much)

Make sure that your helmet is or Australian Safety Standard Approved - look for the S inside the helmet. If you are unsure ask the shop assistant.

The brighter the colour of your helmet the easier people will be able to see you.

That most modern cycle helmets have a layer of expanded polystyrene in them. Which is the plastic foam material used to make things like chilly bins and the packaging on things like new TVs.

The expanded polystrene gets crushed when you have a accident which is why you should throw your helmet away after any accident even small ones or drop your helmet from a great height.

Before the 1970’s the main type of helmet you could buy was called a hairnet and was made from black leather. One of the first bike helmets like you and I wear today was made in 1975, by a company that made motorcycle helmets.

Today’s cycle helmets are based on moutainerring helmets and motorcycle helmets.

To test some cycle helmets scientists put 5kgs in the helmet and drop the helmet in their lab onto all sorts of objects from different heights to see how they cope with the 'crash'  Why 5kgs?  Because that how much the average persons head weighs.

There are many different types of bike helmets. Hard shell (bmx bikers/skateboarders). Thin shell (like you and I wear when we're cycling) and aerodynamically designed (helmets (like the ones cyclists like Lance Armstrong or Sarah Ulmer wear for bike racing). Make sure you have one that is Safety Standard approved!!

Wearing a cycle helmet is compulsory for all cyclists on New Zealand roads.