For Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins, there's no question — helmets save lives and if you're going to ride a bicycle you need to wear one.
It's why he's going to push for the city administration to draft a mandatory helmet bylaw at a Community and Protective Services committee meeting Wednesday.
Regina city councilor to call for mandatory helmets bylaw
"I strongly feel that children and adults should be required to wear bicycle helmets," said Hawkins in an interview Tuesday. "If a child falls and his or her head is injured, a child could be in hospital or care for the rest of their lives. They'll be a burden on the medical system and they will not be able to lead a full life."
Cycling safety came up at a city council meeting in October. At the time, the administration was directed to come back to the council with a report on how cycling safety could be improved through passing distances between bicycles and motorists as well as helmets.
The report will be presented Wednesday. It lists two options under each category as ways to try and increase safety, including a mandatory helmet bylaw.
Motorist and cyclist distance
Option 1: The city enacts a new section of the Regina Traffic Bylaw requiring motorists to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters when passing a cyclist with a speed higher than 50 km/h and one meter when passing with a speed of 50 km/h or less.
But research shows enforcement is difficult and that there have been no tickets issued in any of the jurisdictions that had a bylaw in place. The Regina Police Service (RPS) has also said it would be difficult to enforce because they can't accurately measure the distance between a car and a cyclist when they are both in motion.
Option 2: The city undertakes a communication campaign to educate motorists on appropriate cycling distances at an estimated cost of between $15,000 and $25,000. The city would look to partners with stakeholders like the RPS, SGI and the Canadian Automobile Association.
Helmets and other safety precautions
Option 1: Enact a new bylaw that requires cyclists on all roads to adhere to some or all of the following: wearing a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) approved helmet, a bell or horn, white front light and a red rear light mounted on the bicycle or wear reflective clothing, white reflective tape for the front and red reflective tape for the rear forks of the bicycle. Disadvantages listed on the report include cost as a barrier to cyclists, the potential to discourage cycling and that enforcement may be negatively perceived in the community.
Option 2: The city undertakes a communication campaign similar to Option 2 for motorist and cyclist distance at the same estimated cost and partnership with stakeholders.
Although the report is scheduled to be "received and filed” (which means no decisions will be made by the committee one way or the other) Hawkins said he plans to bring forward an amendment or a motion to pursue mandatory helmets.
But Brandon Wright of Bike Regina argued enforcing safety equipment is the least effective way to improve safety because it puts the burden of safety on the cyclist. Wright says educational campaigns are needed because many road users do not know cyclists have a right to be on the road and taking up a full lane.
"Helmets give a false perception of safety and there have been studies that show that motorists act more dangerously around cyclists wearing helmets," he said in a written statement Tuesday. Instead, he’d like to see better biking infrastructure in the city to isolate cyclists from road hazards.
Through recent discussions with city administration, Bike Regina has said they are not in favor of mandatory helmets because it increases barriers cycling.
Hawkins says if a bylaw discourages cycling, so be it.
"If the choice is between unsafe cyclists and no cyclists, I'd take no cyclists," he said. "I don't want to encourage people to ride bikes if they’re going to be unsafe, and I especially don't want to encourage children to ride bikes if they’re going to be unsafe."
According to the report, more than 60 percent of Canada’s helmet laws are introduced through the provinces or territories and Saskatchewan is one of four yet to introduce a provincial helmet law. Without it, the City of Moose Jaw implemented a bylaw of its own, but police focus more on education and awareness than enforcement, which is how Hawkins sees it working in Regina as well.
If the amendment or motion fails at the committee level Wednesday, Hawkins said he will bring a notice of motion forward at the next city council meeting and try again.
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