Illinois Child Helmet Safety Laws

 Posted on August 29, 2019 in Bicycle Safety

You should always ensure that your children are safe when they ride a bike in Illinois. One of the best ways to keep a child safe in the event of a bicycle accident, no matter what the surrounding laws are in your county, when riding their bike is to ensure they always wear a helmet.

For the latest reporting year in this state, the Illinois Department of Transportation tells us that there were 2,696 people injured in bicycle accidents in the state. We also know that 26 people were killed in bicycle accidents. Breaking down these numbers, we can see that 883 of those injured were under the age of 19.

Does Illinois have helmet laws?

No, Illinois does not have helmet laws in place. Individual municipalities can require certain users to wear helmets. For example, Chicago requires all messenger and delivery bicyclists to wear helmets.

Illinois child helmet laws

Children are not required by Illinois state law to wear a helmet when riding their bicycle. However, some municipalities do require children to wear a helmet.

The following places require helmets for those under 16 years of age:

• Cicero
• Inverness
• Skokie

Barrington requires the use of a helmet for those under 17 years of age.

Illinois legislators have debated mandatory youth bicycle laws in the past, but nothing has come to fruition.

Is it illegal to ride a bike without a helmet in Illinois?

No, it is not illegal to ride a bike without a helmet in Illinois, though it is strongly recommended.

What are the most common injuries a person sustains in a bicycle accident?

Bicyclists are amongst the most vulnerable people in and around the roadway. Even wearing a helmet, there is a high probability of a person sustaining the following injuries:

• Spinal cord injuries (with possible paralysis)
• Internal organ damage/internal bleeding
• Broken or dislocated bones
• Severe lacerations or amputations
• Severe road rash

Contact Kanoski Bresney

If you, your child or a loved one has been involved in an Illinois bicycle accident, contact the experienced legal team at Kanoski Bresney to learn what type of legal options are available to you to recover compensation for your damages. Our firm offers free consultations.

Additional Bike Safety Resources 

• How to Correctly Fit your Bike Helmet
• NHSTA Bike Safety Facts
• Demonstrating Bike Helmet Effectiveness: NHSTA
• NHSTA suggestions to promoting Bicycle Safety

When you need a Springfield bicycle accident lawyer, you can contact us for a free case evaluation by clicking here or calling us at (217) 523-7742. We also serve clients located in Champaign, Decatur, and Peoria.