State Legislator Introduces Bill Making Bike Helmets Mandatory

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A state senator has introduced new legislation that would make it mandatory for everyone to wear a helmet on a bike or face a fine.

Protect it or pay up. That's essentially the idea behind Senate Bill 192. Senator Carol Liu's office did not get back us tonight about scheduling an interview, but her bill already has a lot of wheels turning.

"State law makes it a personal choice for adults, so we're talking about removing a choice and that raises some questions for people," said Jim brown, the executive director of Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates.

And those questions have Sacramento bike advocates like Brown wanting to throw down the kickstand on SB 192.

"I would much rather see us focus on preventing the collision than protecting people from the collision," said Brown.

The bill would make it mandatory for everyone to wear a bike helmet or face a $25 fine. It would also require cyclists to wear reflective clothing at night.

"I've always thought helmets are cheap insurance. It's really one way for a rider to protect themselves," said Bowen Doxsee, manager at City Bicycle Works.

Regular riders like Doxsee admit they have mixed emotions about the proposal.

"As far as wearing reflective gear, I think it's a great idea. However, I've been out on the road sometimes and went a few extra miles and got back and it was dark without reflective gear on, so I probably wouldn't appreciate a $25 dollar ticket," he said.

But for Brown, the issue is two-fold: enforcement and a possible reduction in ridership that counters the city's climate-action plan.

"At a time where we should be giving people more alternatives to driving, we shouldn't also be doing things that discourage them from riding," said Brown.

This bill is still in its early stages. Brown tells us the California Bicycle Coalition will be working with Senator Liu to see exactly how SB 192 moves forward.