(A) Preamble. This section is enacted because:
(1) The major cause of death and permanent disability in bicycle accidents is head injury;
(2) Helmets and child carrying devices which meet nationally recognized standards have been demonstrated to significantly reduce the numbers of head injuries in accidents;
(3) Many cyclists do not use the appropriate equipment; and
(4) Incentives are necessary to encourage bicyclists to wear helmets.
(B) Regulations.
(1) Every person operating a bicycle on a public right-of-way or on any property open to the public or used by the public for pedestrian or vehicular purposes shall ride on a permanent and regular attached seat.
(2) Every person under the age of 21 operating a bicycle on a public right-of-way or on any property open to the public or used by the public for pedestrian or vehicular purposes shall wear a helmet of good fit, fastened securely and:
(a) Meeting ANSI Z90.4 standards;
(b) The Snell Memorial Foundation's 1984 Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling;
(c) ASTM bicycle helmet standards; or
(d) Subsequent amendment(s) to the bicycle helmet standards described above.
(3) No person operating a bicycle on a public right-of-way or on any property open to the public or used by the public for pedestrian or vehicular purposes shall allow anyone four years old or younger and weighing 40 pounds or less to ride as a passenger on the bicycle, other than in a seat which shall adequately retain the passenger in place and protect the passenger from the bicycle's moving parts; or else astride a regular seat of a tandem bicycle.
(4) No person operating a bicycle on a public right-of-way or on any property open to the public or used by the public for pedestrian or vehicular purposes shall allow anyone under the age of 21 to ride as a passenger unless the passenger is wearing a helmet as defined in division (B)(2) above or else in an enclosed trailer or other device which meets or exceeds current nationally recognized standards of design and manufacture for the protection of the passenger's head from impacts in an accident without the need for a helmet.
(Ord. passed 12-16-2019; Ord. passed 1-19-2021)