Bicycle Helmet Laws
Around the world, there is much debate regarding bicycle helmet legislation. While no one would disagree that bicycles can protect a cyclist’s head in the event of an accident, many people argue that bicycle riders should have the choice to wear a helmet or not, and that the dangers posed by cycling are not great enough to require this breach of personal freedom and choice.
Despite this opposition, however, many countries have introduced laws requiring helmet use. Some of these laws apply only to minors, while others affect the entire population. Countries that have passed some type of mandatory helmet legislation include:
- Australia
- Canada
- Finland
- Iceland
- Israel
- Sweden
- New Zealand
Additionally, many states within the US have introduced their own bicycle helmet laws, both on the state and local levels. As of 2005, there were only 14 states in the US without any state or local legislation regarding helmet use when riding a bicycle. These states were:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- South Carolina
- Utah
- Vermont
- Wyoming
For those states that do have some sort of helmet regulation, these laws are predominately geared towards bicycle riders alone. Separate laws govern the use of helmets when riding motorized vehicles, such as motorcycles, and these regulations are typically much stricter. Additionally, bicycle helmet laws do not always apply to other non-motorized transportation items, like skateboards or scooters.
Contact Us
If you or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle accident, contact Cincinnati personal injury lawyer Shawn M. Stepleton today at 513-321-7733 to discuss your bicycle accident with an experienced personal injury attorney.