Chapter 10.44
BICYCLE HELMETS
Sections:
10.44.040 Races and events – Helmet required.
10.44.050 Rental, lease or loan – Helmet required.
10.44.060 Helmet sales – Safety standards.
10.44.080 Penalties – Civil infraction.
10.44.090 Information and education.
10.44.010 Purpose and policy.
A. This chapter is enacted as an exercise of the police power of the city of Bonney Lake to protect and preserve public health, safety and welfare. Its provisions shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes.
B. It is the express purpose of this chapter to provide for and to promote the health, safety and welfare of the general public and not to create or otherwise establish or designate any particular class or group of persons who will or should be especially protected or benefited by the terms of this chapter.
C. It is the specific intent of this chapter to place the obligation of complying with its requirements upon any person falling within its scope, and no provision of, nor term used in, this chapter is intended to impose any duty whatsoever upon the city of Bonney Lake or any of its officers or employees, for whom the implementation or enforcement of this chapter shall be discretionary and not mandatory.
D. Nothing contained in this chapter is intended to be, or shall be, construed to create or to form the basis for liability on the part of the city of Bonney Lake or its officers, employees or agents for any injury or damage resulting from the failure of any person to comply with this chapter. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.020 Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
A. “Bicycle” means every device propelled solely or primarily by human power upon which a person or persons may ride, having two tandem wheels of any diameter or three wheels any one of which is more than 20 inches in diameter. Within this chapter, “bicycle” shall include any attached trailers, sidecars and/or devices being towed by a bicycle.
B. “Guardian” means a parent, legal guardian, or adult with custody or temporary custody who maintains responsibility whether voluntary or otherwise for the safety and welfare of a person under the age of 18 years.
C. “Helmet” means a head covering designed for safety that meets or exceeds safety standards adopted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or such subsequently nationally recognized standards for helmet performance. The helmet must be equipped with either a neck or chin strap that shall be fastened securely while the wheeled vehicle is in motion.
D. “In-line skates and roller skates” means every device which is attached to the rider much like a pair of shoes or boots and which has two or more wheels attached inline or next to each other.
E. “Public area” means public roadways, paths, parks, trails, bicycle lanes or any right-of-way, publicly owned facility or publicly owned property within the city of Bonney Lake.
F. “Scooter” means every device with a platform having two or more wheels beneath it and a balancing handpost or steering device, which the rider balances on top of and which is propelled solely or primarily by human power.
G. “Skateboard” means every device with a platform having two or more sets of wheels beneath it, which the rider balances on top of and which is propelled solely or primarily by human power.
H. “Unicycle” means any device with a frame mounted over a single wheel propelled by pedals. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.030 Helmet required.
A. No person shall operate or be a passenger on a bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard on, in, or upon any public area within the city of Bonney Lake unless he or she is wearing a protective helmet. The helmet shall have either a neck or chin strap which is securely fastened while the bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard is in motion.
B. A parent or guardian must require that a child under the age of 18 years wear a helmet, the neck or chin strap of which must be fastened securely, while that child is on a bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard in any public area of the city of Bonney Lake.
C. A police officer observing a person operating or riding as a passenger on a bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard without the required helmet, in violation of this section, may stop and detain such person for the purpose of establishing identity and issuing an appropriate warning or citation. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.040 Races and events – Helmet required.
A. Any person or organization managing a bicycle, in-line skate, roller skate, scooter, unicycle, or skateboard race, an organized event involving bicycling or a bicycle tour or riding in-line skates, roller skates, scooters, unicycles, or skateboards, which will take place in whole or in part in any public area in the city of Bonney Lake, shall notify participants of the requirement to wear a helmet during the event, race or tour, and such persons and organizations shall reject participants who fail to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
B. The person or organization managing any such event, race or tour shall include helmet requirements in any promotional brochures and on registration materials. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.050 Rental, lease or loan – Helmet required.
A. Any person engaging in the business of renting, leasing or loaning any bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard for use in any public area in the city of Bonney Lake shall offer to the person(s) renting, leasing or using such bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard a helmet and further shall notify such person of the helmet requirements of this chapter.
B. The rental or lease documents (contract, agreement, brochure or receipt) must advise the person renting or leasing the bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard of the helmet requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.060 Helmet sales – Safety standards.
A. No person shall sell or offer for sale a helmet that does not meet or exceed the safety standards set forth in this chapter.
B. It is an affirmative defense that the sale or offering for sale was an isolated sale of used merchandise made by an individual who was not engaged in the business of selling or repairing recreational equipment such as a seller at a garage or rummage sale. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.070 Enforcement.
A. The city of Bonney Lake police department shall enforce the provisions of this chapter and is authorized to issue infractions to persons who fail to comply with this chapter.
B. For the purpose of this chapter, law enforcement officers may at their discretion:
1. Stop a bicycle, in-line skate, roller skate, scooter, unicycle, or skateboard race, organized event, or tour that takes place in a public area in the city of Bonney Lake when there is conspicuous disregard for the requirements of this chapter, involving multiple infractions;
2. Post notice outside the premises of a business that offers for sale, rent, or other public use helmets that do not meet the safety standards of this chapter, so that the public is informed; and
3. Enter, during business hours, the premises of a business selling or renting bicycles, in-line skates, roller skates, scooters, unicycles, or skateboards or selling sporting or recreation equipment, to determine compliance with this chapter. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.080 Penalties – Civil infraction.
A. Any person, including a parent or guardian, violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall have committed a civil infraction and shall be subject to a monetary penalty not to exceed $50.00.
1. If a child in violation of this chapter is 11 years of age or younger, any citation issued shall by issued to the parent, legal guardian, or adult with custody or temporary custody, rather than to the child.
2. If a child in violation of this chapter is at least 12 years of age and is under 16 years of age, a citation may be issued to the child or to the parent, legal guardian, or adult with custody or temporary custody.
B. A court may waive, reduce or suspend the civil penalty and clear the civil infraction as a warning for a person who has not been cited under this chapter within the previous one-year period from the date of the current infraction and provides proof that he or she has acquired an approved helmet at the time of appearance in court.
C. Each person or child not meeting the requirement of BLMC 10.44.030 shall represent a separate violation.
D. Each rental and each event under BLMC 10.44.040 or 10.44.050 shall represent a separate violation. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).
10.44.090 Information and education.
A. The city of Bonney Lake encourages any person engaging in the business of selling bicycles, in-line skates, roller skates, scooters, unicycles or skateboards to include information on helmet safety and the requirements of this chapter with each bicycle, in-line skates, roller skates, scooter, unicycle or skateboard sold.
B. The city of Bonney Lake encourages any person engaging in the selling of helmets to include information on safe helmet usage with each helmet sold. (Ord. 1365 § 1, 2010).