Cyclists call for bike helmet bylaw in Regina

REGINA – Saskatchewan is currently the only province in western Canada that doesn’t require cyclists to wear a helmet.

Earlier, this week, Vancouver Island cyclist Jake Innis sustained several injuries after a collision with a vehicle. He was wearing a helmet at the time, which he credited with saving his life.

It’s a message that collision reconstructionist Sgt. Ian Barr from the Regina Police Service is stressing to the public. He has seen his fair share of collisions, and says that helmets save lives.

“Without a doubt there are a number of those that a helmet would have either mitigated the injury suffered by the cyclist or eliminated it for sure,” he said.

Last year, there were a total of 180 collisions involving bicycles in Regina, leading to 151 injuries and one fatality.

The province says it has no plans to legislate the use of helmets. Instead, it defers to the municipalities.

In Regina, there is currently no bylaw, and the city is not looking at implementing one.

Just ask Dane Stennis. He’s part owner of Western Cycle. While bicycles have been a popular item lately, they definitely sell less helmets than bicycles at the store. He says there’s no substitute for a helmet, even if you’re biking safely.

“In many cases, it’s not the cyclist’s fault, it’s somebody else’s fault… there’s so many variables at play,” he said. “If there is a bylaw, I think automatically some people will start using one.”