Mayor’s Corner: Helmets save lives

Emergency personnel in Clark County estimate they respond to four accidents each day involving bikes, e-bikes, or e-scooters. A few of these accidents have involved fatalities of minors — a grim reminder of the dangers of these devices when not used responsibly. Our goal as city leaders is to prevent tragedies from occurring. Any loss of life has a dramatic impact on families, loved ones, friends, as well as on the entire community.

When I see the news of a young life cut short, it’s my nature to ask what could have been done to protect our children. Boulder City’s new ordinance on bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters went into effect last month. Our ordinance is the strongest in Clark County, as it makes helmets mandatory for all minors on bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters. There are fines of $150 and more for not wearing a helmet, and parents are responsible for paying the fines. (Editor’s note: The fine can go as high as $600 for third offenses.) While we realize these fines are substantial, our end goal is to teach parents and children about safety and to prevent tragedies.

Kids develop habits fast. Starting when they get their first set of wheels, parents can instill the importance of wearing a helmet and riding responsibly. While city leaders and first responders try to teach kids about safety, they are more likely to listen to their peers. Boulder City Media Coordinator Carly Poindexter, who is married to a Clark County School District (CCSD) teacher, knows this well. So she put together a great video to learn about the ordinance at www.bcnv.org/bikesafety. I encourage people of all ages to watch and share the video.

On Sept. 18, the day the ordinance went into effect, the CCSD “Safe Routes to School” program teamed up with BC fire and police departments and the city manager’s office to distribute more than 130 free helmets. That’s in addition to 150 given away this summer by BCFD. More free helmets will be available for those kids who need one at National Night Out on Tuesday, October 7 at Veterans Memorial Park from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. (or while supplies last).

While education, training, and consistent observance of safety rules are essential to avoiding accidents, we also know that helmets can save lives. We hope that awareness and education as well as the new Boulder City safety regulations will motivate children and parents in our community to invest the extra time, effort, and money into getting and (more importantly) wearing helmets.