Helmets are required for bicycle riders in California who are under 18-years-old. Parents or guardians can be fined when their children aren’t properly helmeted. This fine is waived after parents show they’ve purchased a helmet and taken their child to a bicycle safety class.
Helmets for Minors in California
All bicycle riders under the age of 18 in California must wear a bicycle helmet while riding on California public roads. Cities in California may have their own laws that also govern helmet use.
CVC 21212 California’s Bicycle Helmet Law.
“(a) A person under 18 years of age shall not operate a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard, nor wear in-line or roller skates, nor ride upon a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard as a passenger, upon a street, bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public bicycle path or trail unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or standards subsequently established by those entities. This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer towed by the bicycle.”
When minors are stopped for riding without one, their parents or guardians can face a fine of $25 dollars or more.
Bicycle Helmet Citations and Safety Courses
Since this charge and fine could be a burden to some families, an alternative solution is offered. The charge can be dropped if parents later demonstrate they’ve since purchased a helmet for the child and show the child has taken an approved bicycle safety course.
The California Highway Patrol offers information on bicycle safety here and an online course here.
Offenders must complete the course within 120 days of receiving a citation. Once the course has been completed, family’s can bring a completion certificate and a properly fitted helmet to their local CHP office to have the citation cleared.
After a California Bicycle Accident Contact a Local Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If your or a loved one is injured in a bicycle accident by a careless driver, allow a skilled California Bicycle Accident Lawyer to make sure you receive the full financial support you need to heal and rebuild your life.
Financial support can be sought through a claim for damages targeting a driver’s insurance provider no matter if the victim was wearing a helmet or not.
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, makes sure victims know their rights and about every benefit available to them. Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
