S-3856               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6427

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Warnke, Bender, Murray, Bauer, Talmadge, Moore and Niemi

Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on  Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to bicycle safety; amending RCW 46.61.750; adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW; and adding a new section to Title 28A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Bicycling is popular for all ages. Almost all families now have bicycles.  Bicycling takes more skill than most people realize.  Since bicyclists have a low profile in traffic and are unprotected, they need  more defensive riding skills than motorists do.  Nearly seventy-five percent of all fatal or serious injuries to bicyclists are from head injuries.  It is important that wearing a bicycle helmet become acceptable and desirable for children.  Just as with seat belts, helmet use should become "the thing to do."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to Title 28A RCW to read as follows:

          The Washington state patrol and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a bicycle safety education curriculum for children in grades kindergarten through six.  A program of bicycle safety education shall be presented for at least twenty minutes per school year in each grade.  This program shall be coordinated with the Washington state patrol safety education program, and may use other law enforcement personnel.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW to read as follows:

          All persons under the age of twelve operating bicycles shall wear bicycle helmets.

        Sec. 4.  Section 79, chapter 155, Laws of 1965 ex. sess. as last amended by section 6, chapter 55, Laws of 1982 and RCW 46.61.750 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) It is a traffic infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in RCW 46.61.750 through 46.61.780 or section 3 of this 1990 act.

          (2) These regulations applicable to bicycles apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any bicycle path, subject to those exceptions stated herein.