Tucson
The city of Tucson passed an ordinance requiring anyone under the age of 18 to wear an approved bicycle helmet on the city streets. Violators face only a verbal warning.
Flagstaff
The city of Flagstaff passed an ordinance in 2009 requiring anyone under 18 to wear a bicycle helmet. The fine ranges from $25 to $75, but the charges and the fine will be removed if the person obtains a helmet.
Chandler
The city of Chandler considered an ordinance for bicycle helmets in 2008, but it did not pass. The city strongly recommends wearing them.
Phoenix
The City of Phoenix passed a law in 2009 requiring anyone under 18 to wear a helmet when bicycling. The police department runs a public relations campaign aimed at getting people to wear them.
Types
The cities of Sierra Vista and Yuma, as well as Pima County, have passed ordinances requiring anyone under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.
Opposition
There are some cyclist groups opposed to laws requiring helmets. They question whether helmets prevent injuries,and whether a helmet might give a false sense of security. These groups advocate rider education instead.
Article Written By James Jordan
James Jordan has been a writer and photographer since 1980. He has worked for newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kansas, winning state press association awards for writing, photography and page design. In 1995 he received his master's in Christian education and completed two years of Ancient Greek at the graduate level. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
