Cycling advocates say they're not opposed to helmet laws. They're opposed to their unintended consequences, especially amid the rise of bike-sharing programs.
Colin Browne, coordinator for the Washington (D.C.) Area Bicyclist Association, says, "As public policy, it's not a good idea. It just limits the ease and accessibility of bicycling."
The WABA argues that a mandatory all-ages helmet law proposed in Maryland a few years ago would do more harm than good. They cited a paper in the British Medical Journal that showed no noticeable drop in head injuries after enforcement of helmet laws in parts of Australia.
The Maryland bill died in committee.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
