Teaching Your Child to Ride a Bike? Get Ready for Mandatory Helmet Laws…

Does your child wear a helmet while cycling their bike? If not, it’s probably time you invested in one for them.

Why? Well as part of a safety strategy being drawn up by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), children will be legally obliged to wear helmets while they’re out on their bikes. If children are caught cycling without any protective gear on their noggin, parents could be facing a seriously high fine.

The Irish Independent reports that as well as fines for parents, a cycle safety training course for all 7 and 8 year olds will be initiated as part of the current primary school curriculum.

These changes are being put in place as eight cyclists under the age of 15 have died on Irish roads in the past three years.

“We are actively considering whether there is now a safety case for introducing mandatory cycle helmets for children up to 13 years,” said Noel Brett, the chief executive of the RSA, speaking yesterday.

The mandatory wearing of helmets is recommended in an EU-wide report on child safety that was published recently.

This safety measure is likely to be included in a new child safety plan that is being drawn up and it is understood that the measure will be approved by the Government. However, the mandatory wearing of helmets will not be strictly enforced until 2016 at least.

Like everything, the proposed introduction of this new law has already drummed up considerable public debate. Some people are arguing that it will save lives, meanwhile the other side of the camp believes it is simply another “nanny state” measure.

Either way, it is reported that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of suffering a head injury by 85 per cent and it can cut the risk of a severe brain injury by 75 per cent.

Are you a parent who already enforces a mandatory helmet law of your own?