YORBA LINDA : City Won’t Enact Bike Helmet Law

The City Council has decided not to enact an ordinance making bicycle helmets mandatory for minors but instead will provide bicycle safety information through a variety of channels.

In July, the council had expressed an interest in enacting an ordinance that would require cyclists under 16 to wear helmets when riding on city bike trails, bike lanes, city streets and other city facilities.

But in a report to the council, City Manager Arthur C. Simonian said enforcement of such an ordinance would not be practical.

The Police Department would have primary responsibility for enforcing the ordinance, which would take away from their other duties, Simonian said in the report.

According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, no city in the county currently has a helmet ordinance.

The Irvine Unified School District requires that helmets be worn by elementary school students who ride a bicycle to school unless parents sign a waiver exempting them from the rule.

To promote increased helmet usage by minors, the city will provide bicycle safety information at public facilities such as City Hall, the library and community centers, as well as broadcast bicycle safety tips on the city’s government-access channel and incorporate bicycle safety tips into the DARE curriculum.