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Cycle Ontario's full helmet legislation position paper
About Cycle Ontario Alliance
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The latest news
[last updated April 20, 2005]
In November, Bill 129 was introduced as a private member's bill by Ontario MPP John Milloy. This bill would require all skateboarders, in-line skaters, and cyclists to wear helmets when using Ontario roads. Currently, only children under 18 must wear helmets while cycling on the road.
Bill 129 was then referred to the Legislature's Standing Committee on Social Policy for detailed examination, where it still sits. The committee is working on other bills and has not decided what it will do with the bill, and will not decide until at least May. It may organize public hearings on the bill or it may only take written submissions.
Bill 129 may, in fact, never get considered if it's still waiting when this session of the Legislature ends. Or it could be brought forward quite quickly. No one knows yet.
Cycle Ontario's position
Cycle Ontario's position is that helmet use contributes to cycling safety, but is not sufficient on its own. We recommend the Ontario government undertake a comprehensive program to increase cycling safety by improving:
- the cycling environment
- cycling skills education
- motorist understanding of sharing the road with cyclists
- enforcement against aggressive drivers and law-breaking cyclists, and
- other risk-reduction programs (including helmet promotion),
before proceeding with any mandatory helmet legislation.
Cycle Ontario also recommends that the government:
- undertake a thorough, public, scientific review of the existing data on the effects of and costs of mandatory helmet legislation worldwide, and
- commission an independent study of the effects of Bill 124 in Ontario
View the full text of Cycle Ontario's helmet legislation position paper
What you can do
Tell the premier and your MPP that you want public hearings
Cyclists are the citizens affected by this bill. Cycling groups such as Cycle Ontario Alliance, cycling skills teachers, and cycling safety experts have the expertise to evaluate the impact of this bill. Cycle Ontario has been calling for open public sessions across the province, in order to allow citizens to comment on, critique, and propose improvements to Bill 129.
If you want to help ensure public hearings are held, you can write
Please send a copy of your message and any response to Cycle Ontario
Help Cycle Ontario draft its brief
Cycle Ontario is looking for members interested in researching and evaluating current data on helmet legislation and on cycling safety, to be part of a working group to prepare a brief on Bill 129. Email helmets@CycleOntario.ca for more information.
Discuss the issues with other cyclists
We also welcome questions and discussion on this and other issues affecting Ontario cyclists in our "discuss" email list.
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