For the second time, a mandatory helmet law has been vetoed by a California Governor. So Governor Jerry Brown (a purported liberal!) joins former Governor Schwartzenegger (a purported Republican!) in thwarting the will of the state legislators and many parents. Go figure. The bill’s sponsor, State Senator Leland Yee said, “Unfortunately, the Governor ignored the pleas of parents who were asking for this law and for a simple tool to help get their kids to wear helmets on the slopes,” said Yee. “California’s ski slopes are perhaps the last area of recreation where we do not have basic safety standards in place for children.”
In addition, Dr. Jo Linder Crow, Executive Director of the California Psychological Association said, “We are very disappointed that Governor Brown vetoed SB 105 and ignored the widespread support for this legislation that would have protected children and saved lives. The evidence is clear that the use of helmets can greatly reduce the severity of head injuries resulting in a better recovery process.”
What’s your opinion? Is this law a good idea or not?
If you’re thinking it’s not, consider this: Half of all skiing deaths are caused by a head injury. Recent studies show that when helmets are used, the incidence of traumatic brain or head injury was slashed by 29 percent to 56 percent. The Federal Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has found that more than 7,000 head injuries per year on U.S. slopes could be prevented or reduced in severity by the use of a helmet. The CPSC study also showed that “for children under 15 years of age, 53 percent of head injuries (approximately 2,600 of the 4,950 head injuries annually) are addressable by use of a helmet.”
How does that grab ya?
