Valley council to consider helmet ordinance

Two fatal bicycle accidents in Spokane Valley this week could give weight to the argument of those who say that bicycling and similar activities should be illegal without a helmet.

“The helmets are essential, because we know the head injuries are the most devastating,” said Ana Matthews, of the Spokane Regional Health District. She said that when properly worn, an approved helmet can reduce by 88 percent the risk of brain injury – the type of injury the Spokane Valley Police Department said contributed to both deaths.

After tweaking its original language, the Spokane Valley City Council tentatively placed a first reading of a proposed helmet ordinance on its May 24 meeting agenda. The measure requires helmets for those riding bikes, skateboards, skates and scooters, regardless of the rider’s age.

“It’s one of those things – you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” Councilman Gary Schimmels said about helmet use. He said the council should have passed the measure last year but didn’t get to it.

“It still doesn’t stop these foolish, crazy things, but it’s part of the equation,” he said.

The city of Spokane passed a similar law last July. Matthews said that last spring, volunteers keeping track at Spokane parks and schools recorded about 53 percent of riders wearing helmets. Last fall, after the ordinance took effect, helmet use had increased to 70 percent, she said.

Officials in Coeur d’Alene and Liberty Lake said their cities don’t cite riders without helmets.

“Enacting laws that deal both in the realm of highly educational and highly personal-choice type of things, they can become rather controversial,” said Spokane Valley police Chief Cal Walker. “It kind of parallels the early seat belt usage.”

At Tuesday’s council meeting, he testified that enforcing the ordinance would not be the department’s top priority but that it would give police an additional way to encourage helmet use.

By coincidence, Gov. Christine Gregoire is scheduled to be in Spokane this morning to sign several bills into law, including one creating a special “share the road” license plate for cars. It would raise money for bicycle-safety efforts.

Helmet use is not the only bicycle-safety issue, said Eileen Hyatt, who teaches bicycle safety classes. Riders need to know the traffic laws, she said, including those requiring riders to signal when making turns and using a light at night.

“A lot of people just do not know the law,” Hyatt said.