Cycling fatalities in Australia have almost halved since mandatory helmet laws were introduced in the 1990s, new research from the University of NSW shows.

All eight states and territories made helmet wearing mandatory for cyclists between July 1990 (Victoria) and July 1992 (ACT) and, since then, there have been 46 per cent fewer deaths.

Following helmet legislation, the rate of bicycle fatalities is estimated to have dropped by 46 per cent. Credit:Jonathan Carroll

Following helmet legislation, bicycle fatalities in Australia was calculated to be 1332 fewer than had the laws never been introduced.

"There were 1144 cycling fatalities in the period 1990-2016 and, using the pre-legislation trajectory as a guide, our model estimates 2476 cycling fatalities from 1990 to 2016 if bicycle helmet legislation had not been introduced," the report says.