County Considers Bike Helmet Ordinance
The City of Spokane already has a bicycle helmet ordinance, but now County commissioners are considering one. And users of skateboards, roller skates and scooters also might be required to wear them.
Here's more information, from the Spokesman-Review.
About SRTC
SRTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Spokane County. Urbanized areas with populations exceeding 50,000 people are required to have an MPO. SRTC was formed to address the county's transportation planning needs. It provides coordination in planning between the public, cities, small towns, the county, the state, transit providers, and tribes.
SRTC offers services including transportation monitoring, transportation modeling, census information analysis, travel demand forecasting, historical traffic count analysis, geographic information systems, and trip generation rates.
4 comments:
But who will enforce it? The city of Spokane does not enforce its helmet law, so will the county?
Probably not formally for the immediate future. We often hear that enforcement is the first thing to go in times of financial hardship and I think this would be no different. There would probably be an education campaign launched along with it initially and deputies would make informal contact with those not wearing helmets when they can. But I can't imagine where additional money for enforcement would come from at this time. There are grants out there though so maybe the County has something up their sleeve. It's VERY competitive though to get those grants.
Although helmets are a good idea, I would suggest that there be a cut-off age for the requirement to wear them. Adults are able to decide for themselves whether or not they should wear a helmet, or whether they want to or not! Adults have earned the right to be responsible for themselves and shouldn't require government to be their babysitters or watchdogs for every possible situation that may lead to injury.
Put it on the ballot for crying out loud...and let the taxpayers/voters decide.
So maybe people under the age of 18 would be required to wear helmets? Hmmm... that's an interesting thought. Hopefully kids would get used to wearing helmets when they're young and continue to do so after they get past the legal age, and adults would do so in order to set a good example.
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