Bike riders push back against helmet laws

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.