Objectives Although cycling is a healthy, ecological and practical way of transportation, it is not without risk. The effect of bicycle helmets to prevent head injuries on crashing has been extensively investigated. Nonetheless, the overall use of helmets by adolescents remains low. While various interventions to increase helmet use have been adopted, adolescents’ perspectives on these interventions have not been extensively explored. In our study, we aim to understand the facilitators and barriers to bicycle helmet use by adolescents and their perspectives on injury prevention campaigns.

Methods A qualitative methodology was selected. A convenience sample of three schools in Belgium was selected for participation. 12 focus groups were conducted with a total of 84 adolescents aged 12–17 years in the second, third or fourth year of secondary school.

Results Four key themes regarding adolescents’ views on safe cycling practices emerged from the analysis: external motivation, internal motivation, factors specific to the helmet and the cycling environment. The main barriers to bicycle helmet use identified by adolescents were peer pressure, appearance and discomfort. The perceived risks of cycling without a helmet among adolescents were low. Mandatory bicycle helmet laws and non-legislative programmes were considered to be an effective strategy by the study participants. Parental strategies, including strict parental rules and parental helmet use, further contributed to wear a bicycle helmet.

Conclusion The results of this qualitative study add to the literature by expanding the understanding of motivation for bicycle helmet use and should be considered when designing interventions to promote bicycle helmet use.