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August 8, 2011 in City
Getting There: County weighs mandatory bike helmet-use law
Bicyclists use the Centennial Trail on Aug. 4 near Gonzaga University. County commissioners this month are expected to consider an ordinance for mandatory helmet use within unincorporated Spokane County.
(Full-size photo)
As deputies describe it, the 6-year-old boy hit by a truck in Newman Lake on July 28 bounced between the Dodge’s undercarriage and the asphalt like a pinball.
The boy’s bicycle helmet, which cracked in two places, may have saved his life. According the Sheriff’s Office, the boy is at home recovering from his injuries. If not for the helmet, the injuries could have been fatal, said Detective Dave Thornburg with the Sheriff’s Office traffic unit.
“I’ve been investigating crashes for 20 years, and usually the impact with the vehicle isn’t what kills,” Thornburg said of crashes involving bicycles or pedestrians and cars. “It’s usually when the occupant comes off the vehicle and their head hits the pavement.”
It’s one of many statistics that county commissioners will think about this month as they consider an ordinance for mandatory helmet use within unincorporated Spokane County. The law covers all wheeled transport, including bicycles, skateboards and scooters. The city of Spokane enacted a similar helmet law in 2004. Idaho has no state or local helmet laws.
Jurisdictions within the county, including Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Airway Heights, would still need to pass similar laws, officials said.
“There is a real fine line between a close call and a tragedy, and oftentimes that line is a helmet,” said Marion Lee, an injury prevention specialist with the Spokane Regional Health District.
Research shows that ordinances increase helmet use, even without enforcement, Lee said. Within five years of passing a law, communities see a 16 percent or more reduction in bicycle fatalities, statistics show.
“It really does change the culture of a community to have some policies in place that support health and safety,” Lee said.
It also reduces the number of injuries.
Of the children admitted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for bicycle-related injuries between June 2010 and May, 25 percent were wearing helmets, hospital officials said. None of the patients who wore helmets sustained severe brain or head injuries, said Denise McCurdy, pediatric trauma coordinator at Sacred Heart.
The compliance rate is higher for adults. Of patients 18 and older admitted to the hospital for injuries related to bicycle crashes, 46 percent were wearing helmets, she said.
“Helmets reduce the risk of head injury and brain injury by 88 to 85 percent if worn correctly,” McCurdy said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries.
“You can wear all the protective gear you want to, but most likely you will still have some kind of injury,” McCurdy said. Wearing a helmet reduces the severity of the injury, or the chance of death.
A public hearing on the proposed ordinance is scheduled for 5 p.m. Aug. 23 in the commissioners hearing room, lower level, Public Works building, 1026 W. Broadway Ave.
Idaho website for young drivers
The Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety offers young drivers and their parents an online resource promoting safe driving among young adults.
The website, www.idahoteendriving.org, provides links, videos and stories about distracted driving, impaired driving, winter driving, driver’s education, motorcycles, passenger safety, bicycles, pedestrians and even how to change a tire.
Visitors can connect to the ITD’s 511 travel information site for the latest road and weather conditions. Links to the ITD’s home page, safety statistics, Idaho’s Division of Motor Vehicles and driver education programs at public and commercial schools also are available.
Wellesley Avenue paving planned
Another section of Wellesley Avenue will be paved and traffic islands will be installed this week. Wellesley from Milton to Belt streets is closed and will reopen Friday. Wellesley from Belt to Ash streets is reduced to one lane in each direction.
Five Mile-Strong intersection closed
The intersection of Five Mile and Strong roads will be closed for paving Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Southbound motorists will be detoured to Johannsen Road to Cedar Road.; northbound traffic will be detoured to Cedar Road.; eastbound traffic will be detoured to Indian Trail Road.
Spokane Valley projects:
• Fancher Road between Broadway and Trent avenues is reduced to one lane at night until Wednesday.
• The west half of the Indiana Avenue/Sullivan Road intersection is closed through Aug. 20 around the clock for resurfacing and to add a new turn lane from Indiana onto southbound Sullivan. After today, access to Indiana east of Sullivan will also be available from Barker Road, then east on Mission and along the new Indiana extension.
1992 murder trial begins against sex offender 
oneanddone on August 08 at 5:14 a.m.
Creating a law, however worthwhile, which is nearly impossible to enforce only wastes limited resources. Any parent who doesn’t require their kids to wear helmets is an incompetent fool and should be held up to ridicule but the cops should work on more important things.
zodiy on August 08 at 8:21 a.m.
“Research shows that ordinances increase helmet use, even without enforcement, Lee said.”
If it gets more people to wear helmets even without enforcement, what’s the harm? Have the law, don’t enforce it, more people wear helmets, everyone wins.
meyerlansky on August 08 at 8:50 a.m.
While it is true that folks should wear helmets when riding bikes, do we really need more laws to monitor something that should be considered “common sense”………oh, wait….this is Spokane we’re speaking about….
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on August 08 at 8:55 a.m.
That must be their approach to the handheld-cellphone-while-driving law… (sorry, just had to get that in there)
Personally I see nothing wrong with making it a law. I could be OK with making it a requirement only for people under 18 years of age, though: kids don’t necessarily understand the risks, but maybe adults should have the right to proclaim to the world “I am an idiot and I want to die.”
MrNatural on August 08 at 8:58 a.m.
Makes sense to me…you never think you are going to hit the ground until you do and my helmet took the crack instead of my noggin…
As for enforcement…I liked the ice cream coupons the cops gave out to kids who wore their helmet…that’s the kind of enforcement this needs :)
The_Seer on August 08 at 9:01 a.m.
thatoneguy: I agree, partially, but adults don’t have a right to claim “I am an idiot and I want to saddle taxpayers for years of expensive treatment for a massive head injury.”
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on August 08 at 9:51 a.m.
^ Obamacare can decree that anyone not wearing a helmet is not covered by the nationwide socialist insurance program. Idiots who want to die or be paralyzed can purchase their own extra “idiot insurance,” or be left on the side of the road.
Yay! Creating public policy is FUN!
Edwame on August 08 at 9:51 a.m.
It all comes down to the “I don’t want want my rights taken away” vs. “We don’t want to pay for your stupidity” arguments. Its the same argument with seat belts, motorcycle helmets or whatever. These are laws many of us never had in the past regardless of our position on the subjects.
johnclarke on August 08 at 10:19 a.m.
My kiddo got a coupon for wearing her helmet, and it was cool. She still wears one at age 21.
People that don’t wear helmets are simply practicing natural selection, but yeah - everyone picks up the tab ultimately.
This is a good law.
PlanB on August 08 at 11:58 a.m.
Personally I don’t see the point of a law that “protects” people unless there is a significant and substantial public safety issue. A few cases does not constitute a substantial issue.
And since I think there is certainly no need to require an adult to wear a helmet, I will certainly be willing to help pay the bills for someone injured while exercising their liberties that I value so much.
Paying for someones stupidity is one of the costs of freedom.
dtmelin on August 08 at 1:48 p.m.
@ meyerlansky… spokane is so outta touch. right along with the 21 STATES that require minors to wear helmets. never fails that someone has to try to pile on spokane…
philipgregory on August 08 at 2:39 p.m.
Please don’t encourage them making anymore social behavior laws. Children need to be protected, but adults should be left to their common sense.
Squid on August 08 at 4:34 p.m.
Another law to protect people from themselves. Just keep giving away your freedom a little at a time.
If you really are concerned with paying for someone’s actions, hwo about illegal aliens, legal aliens, welfare, disability, etc.
You can get disability for being a drug abuse, obesity, alcohol abuse, etc. Those are self inflicted from stupidity.
Are you aware of the benefits legal and illegal aliens get? Those are self inflicted, if they come to our country without the ability to support themselves.
I will ride my bike without a helmet. The fine is the cost of freedom.
cloud on August 09 at 8:28 a.m.
Public services are services, not a decree. Life comes first, theories second. These theories are the best plan agreed upon as a public service. You don’t have the right to make a demand.
The_Seer on August 09 at 8:31 a.m.
I’m almost aghast at the freedom and liberty crowd’s response to this proposal especially when one considers their silence after the Patriot Act was passed.
cloud on August 09 at 9:25 a.m.
I’m right. Taxes for public services as an argument doesn’t work. Public services are there as an independent support to reality, not as an imposition or to be hijacked. Liberty and justice for all. I’m against this law.