The bicycle helmet ordinance in Dallas is another step closer to being repealed. The Dallas City Council’s quality of life committee voted Monday to send its recommendation to repeal or drastically change the ordinance to the full council.
Riding a bike without a helmet is much less dangerous than “sitting on the couch eating potato chips all the time,” one cycling advocate told the panel.
Several people spoke in favor of repealing the city ordinance requiring helmets while riding a bike, suggesting instead that the city move toward advocacy for helmets instead of making criminals of those who don’t wear them.
“Let’s not dilute the message that people should wear helmets,” Councilman Phillip Kingston said, arguing to repeal the ordinance. More tickets for helmet violations are written in “minority areas of the city, which is something else we should look at,” he said.
A representative from the Parkland Injury Prevention Center spoke in favor of keeping the helmet ordinance.
The committee recommended that City Council repeal the ordinance or change it to require helmets for people 17 and younger.
