Heist-op-den-Berg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Karlijn Ledegen from Heist-op-den-Berg suffered a serious cycling accident in February 2025, spent months in hospital and rehab, and now urges wearing helmets to prevent injuries and save lives.
As VRT News reported, every year on September 1st, the debate about bicycle helmets rises again in Belgium. Karlijn’s experience of Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Belgium, turned into a mission to alert people to bicycle safety. Now she speaks at schools, community functions, and cycling events to tell her story.
She emphasises that accidents may occur in an instant, even on roads that are well-known. A helmet can prevent severe injuries and help save lives. Karlijn wants every cyclist to understand that wearing a helmet is not just a personal choice, but a crucial safety measure.
“I was in the hospital for four months, and now I’ve moved to a rehabilitation centre. I had a skull fracture and a brain haemorrhage,”
she testifies on Radio 1’s De Wereld Vandaag.
What can Karlijn Ledegen’s story teach about bicycle safety?
In Heist-op-den-Berg, her home town, Karlijn’s bicycle safety message is drawing attention. She has already noticed actual changes in Heist-op-den-Berg. While at a local bike store, the owner shared with her that helmet sales at her shop have increased in the last couple of months.
Many riders have decided to wear helmets since hearing her story. Karlijn also receives messages almost every day.
“It warms my heart every time,”
Karlijn says.
“Every day, I get a message from someone who bought a bike helmet. They say I made them think.”
Karlijn Ledegen
Her time at the rehabilitation centre left a lasting impression on her. She saw patients working to regain basic skills, including walking and talking, after serious accidents.
“It is heartbreaking to see how a life can be completely turned upside down by a fall that might have been avoided,” she says.
Karlijn is hopeful that discussing her story might inspire an audience to take small measures to avoid serious injury. For her, the message is simple: a helmet can save lives and help people avoid lifelong outcomes.
“So I hope people will at least think about it for a moment. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the people around you,”
Karlijn concludes.
At the end of February 2025, she was cycling home at night on a route she knew very well. She mentioned that normally, it was a short and safe ride. But that evening, she lost control on a bend she had taken many times before and fell hard to the ground. She stayed there for over an hour before someone noticed her and called for help.
The fall caused serious injuries, and Karlijn was in a coma for several weeks. At the time, she was not wearing a helmet. After waking from the coma, Karlijn faced a long and difficult recovery.
