Police encourage kids to use their heads Police encourage kids to use their heads (August 27, 2004)

Officers issue more citations for not wearing a helmet

By David Herbert

The Mountain View Police Department launched its road safety campaign last week, issuing citations to minors not wearing protective headgear and giving away free helmets to residents.

Under California state law, residents under 18 must wear helmets when biking, rollerblading, skateboarding or riding scooters. In the past, Mountain View police issued warnings but did not often penalize offenders. In fact, police handed out just three official citations from January through August last year and no citations during that same period this year.

That all changed last week when police officers Lloyd Curns and Alan Nelson began patrolling the city for kids snubbing this law. On Aug. 20, Curns and Nelson issued five citations, seven warnings and distributed seven free helmets. Offenders were slapped with $25 fines and given the free bike helmets.

"The best way to ensure that a kid is safe is to issue a citation because you remember the citation and why you got it," Curns said.

The push for increased road safety started last year, he explained, when residents began complaining about children riding on sidewalks and against traffic without protective gear.

Police went to elementary and middle schools to stress the importance of helmets last year, and the distribution of headgear is the next phase. Funding for the program came from the state's Office of Traffic Safety and the local Kiwanis Club.

E-mail David Herbert at dherbert@mv-voice.com

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