Benefits
Wearing a helmet when on a bike is always a good idea, especially on a head-down bike (such as most road racing bikes and mountain bikes). But when you are on a cruiser, a bike that is all about style, a helmet may not match the rest of your ensemble. Helmet laws usually are enacted when several helmetless bikers die or are seriously injured in an area. These laws are meant for injury prevention, and generally they are highly publicized but not strictly enforced.
King County
Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of umjanedoan
King County is Washington's largest county, where almost two-thirds of the state's population reside. Seattle alone has a combined 140 miles of shared-use paths, on-street bike lanes and signed bike routes. According to the WSDOT, "between 4,000 and 8,000 people bicycles commute in Seattle each day, depending on the time of year and weather conditions."
Legalities
The first law requiring helmets for bicyclists in Washington State was enacted in 1993 for King County, but this did not include Seattle. In 2003, the King County Board of Health amended the original code, and Title 9 now states that "every bicycle rider in King County, including Seattle, must wear a helmet that meets or exceeds the safety standards adopted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)." In other words, the helmet must fit properly and must have a chinstrap, which applies to the passenger as well.
Enforcement
Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Mo Riza
If you are caught riding a bike helmetless, violation is a civil infraction and can be heard by the district court. Just like a parking ticket, you have 15 days to respond, with three options: contest completely, explain the circumstances or schedule a hearing. The maximum fine is $30, and you cannot go to jail.
How to Avoid a Fine
The easiest way to avoid a ticket is to just wear a helmet. Aside from that, if it is your first ticket you can supply proof that you purchased a helmet between the date of the notice and the appearance of your court date. The price of a helmet can range from about $15 to $150, depending on quality, so there is potential for money-saving. You can also mail-in the proof of purchase with the ticket, without paying the fine.
Article Written By Jocelyn Waters
Jocelyn Waters is an outdoor sports writer with more than 10 years of experience competing in outdoor events in the Pacific Northwest, medaling in short-distance runs, marathons, duathlons, triathlons, snowboard and ski races. She began writing professionally in 2006, and has been published in "The Mountain Express" in Sun Valley, Idaho. She is currently living in Seattle.
