March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Senate passes children’s bike helmet mandate> Police instructed to provide educational materials to kids

AUGUSTA — The state Senate voted 27-4 Wednesday to require children under 16 to use bicycle helmets.

Unlike a similar proposal that was rejected two years ago, it includes no penalties or fines, but instructs police to provide educational material to children caught riding without helmets.

“It is an educational bill. It is a bill that doesn’t put police in a position of fining children, ticketing children,” said Sen. William O’Gara, D-Westbrook.

Sen. John Benoit had another way to explain the thrust of the legislation. Some children “believe it’s kind of wimpy” to wear bike helmets, said the Rangeley Republican.

“This law on the books will help [children who face] that kind of peer pressure,” said Benoit.

Given the wide majorities of approval in the Senate and House earlier this week, it appears unlikely the Legislature will change its mind on the helmet bill.

Supporters pointed to other states with bicycle helmet laws, such as New Jersey, where they said accident injury rates have plummeted. They also said such a law will avoid millions of dollars in medical costs of treating head injuries caused by bicycle accidents.

Senate opponents said the Legislature should not be passing bills that do nothing.

“This is an overreach,” said Sen. James Libby, R-Gorham, who called the bill one of the “most ridiculous” he has seen in seven years in the Legislature.


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