The real question is are cars safe?

It’s up to the rider to decide on their personal risk tolerance and wear gear or not. I always find it silly when governments try and protect people from themselves.

If someone hops on a scooter with not even a helmet, flies down the road and injures themselves, that’s not an issue for the government to get involved in (unless the scooter malfunctioned or something like that).

However people being reckless and injuring others is an issue too.

Betteridge’s Law, breathing extra hard.