New Bill Could Mandate All Bicycle Riders to Wear Helmets

While most cyclists on the road are very safety conscious, not everyone is happy with Senator Liu’s proposal that would mandate helmets for adults while cycling on city streets.

Carol Liu’s proposal meets with considerable criticism

Article and Photo By Terry Miller

California could become the first state in the nation to require all adults wear a helmet while bicycling, under a bill introduced last week.
The approach by a local senator has already caused considerable controversy.
Many who opposed additional legislation say it’s the wrong approach to bike safety-
“We don’t support mandating helmet use because the name of the game (to promote bike safety) is increasing bicycling. And this type of legislation has been shown to do just the opposite,” the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition said.
“We encourage helmet use but we’re not in favor of mandates,” it concluded.
The California Bicycle Coalition opposes a helmet mandate for similar reasons..
Sen. Carol Liu, D-La Cañada Flintridge, introduced the bill last Wednesday. She said public safety is at the heart of her legislation.
“Any responsible bicycle rider should wear a helmet,” Liu said in a press release. “This law will help protect more people and make sure all riders benefit from the head protection that a helmet provides.”
California since 1994 has mandated that anyone under 18 wear a helmet when riding a bike. Sen. Carol Liu, D- La Cañada Flintridge, has now authored S.B. 192 to extend the helmet requirement to adults and also require all riders to wear reflective clothing when cycling at night.
Anyone riding without a helmet could be cited for an infraction and fined up to $25, the same as current law for youth cyclists if the bill passes.
Bicycle rider injuries in traffic accidents have increased steadily in California. Nearly 14,000 bicyclists were hurt in crashes in 2012, up from 11,760 in 2008, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Liu cited several sources saying cyclists who don’t wear helmets are far more likely to be hurt or killed in accidents. Ninety-one percent of bicyclists killed in 2009 reportedly were not wearing helmets, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported.
Currently, 21 states and the District of Columbia require children and teenagers to wear helmets when riding a bike. No states require helmets for adults. The Pediatric Academic Societies, a national group, reported in 2013 that the states with mandatory youth helmet laws had significantly lower rates of fatalities and injuries after bicycle-motor vehicle collisions than states without helmet laws.
S.B 192 requires adult helmets to meet standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is the current state requirement for youth helmets.

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