97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB2850

 

Introduced 2/22/2011, by Rep. Robyn Gabel

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Child Bicycle Helmet Safety Awareness Act. Contains legislative findings and definitions. Provides that a person under the age of 15 may not operate or be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless at all times when the person is so-engaged he or she wears a protective bicycle helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head. Provides that a parent or legal guardian of a person under the age of 15 may not permit the person to operate or be a passenger on a bicycle in an unlawful manner. Provides that no person may rent or lease any bicycle to or for the use of any person under the age of 15 on a highway, multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless certain conditions are met. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning public safety.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Child
5Bicycle Helmet Safety Awareness Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative findings.
7    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
8        (1) Disability and death of children resulting from
9    injuries sustained in bicycling crashes are a serious
10    threat to the public health, welfare, and safety of the
11    people of this State, and the prevention of such disability
12    and death is a goal of the people.
13        (2) Head injuries are the leading cause of disability
14    and death from bicycling crashes.
15        (3) The risk of head injury from bicycling crashes is
16    significantly reduced for bicyclists who wear proper
17    protective bicycle helmets, but helmets are not worn by
18    most child bicyclists nationwide.
19    (b) The purpose of this Act is to reduce the incidence of
20disability and death resulting from injuries incurred in
21bicycling crashes by promoting awareness that while riding on a
22bicycle on the public roads, public bicycle paths, and other
23public rights-of-way of this State, all bicycle operators and

 

 

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1passengers age 14 years and younger are required to wear
2approved protective bicycle helmets that meet the requirements
3of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
 
4    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
5    "Multipurpose public path" means a right-of-way under the
6jurisdiction and control of this State or local authorities for
7use primarily by bicycles or pedestrians or both.
8    "Other public right-of-way" means any right-of-way other
9than a highway or multipurpose public path that is under the
10jurisdiction and control of this State or local authorities and
11is designed for use and used by vehicular or pedestrian traffic
12or both.
13    "Passenger" means any person who travels on a bicycle in
14any manner except as an operator.
15    "Protective bicycle helmet" means a piece of headgear which
16meets or exceeds the impact standards for protective bicycle
17helmets set by:
18        (1) the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for
19    headgear purchased on or after March 10, 1999; or
20        (2) the American National Standards Institute (ANSI),
21    the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), or
22    the Snell Memorial Foundation for headgear purchased
23    before March 10, 1999.
 
24    Section 15. Use of helmets by persons under the age of 15.

 

 

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1    (a) No person under the age of 15 may operate or be a
2passenger on a bicycle on a highway, multipurpose public path,
3or other public right-of-way unless at all times when the
4person is so-engaged he or she wears a protective bicycle
5helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head with the
6straps of the helmet.
7    (b) No parent or legal guardian of a person under the age
8of 15 may permit the person to operate or be a passenger on a
9bicycle in violation of subsection (a) of this Section.
10    (c) No person may rent or lease any bicycle to or for the
11use of any person under the age of 15 on a highway,
12multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless:
13        (1) the person renting or leasing the bicycle observes
14    that the person possesses a protective bicycle helmet;
15        (2) the person renting or leasing the bicycle also
16    offers to provide a protective bicycle helmet to the
17    person; or
18        (3) the person renting or leasing the bicycle to a
19    person under the age of 15 posts a clearly visible sign for
20    customers stating: "Illinois law requires that a
21    protective bicycle helmet be worn by persons under the age
22    of 15 who are operators or passengers on a bicycle.".
 
23    Section 20. Public awareness campaign. Subject to
24appropriation, the Illinois Department of Public Health,
25working in cooperation with State and local public health,

 

 

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1educational and law enforcement departments and agencies,
2shall develop a public awareness campaign to educate the public
3concerning the dangers posed, especially to persons under the
4age of 15, of riding bicycles without protective helmets.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.