As a resident of Cedar Rapids in Iowa, I am often alarmed and dismayed at the disregard for road safety I've noticed among some cyclists. I have witnessed scenarios where the lack of basic safety equipment like helmets, pose grave dangers. Every year daughters, mothers, fathers, and sons, lose their lives because of a disregard for bicyclists, and lack of enforcement when the law is broken.

In fact, in 2021, The United States department of Transportation noted 11 bicycle fatalities in Iowa. However, evidence from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, state that helmets reduce the odds of a head injury by 85% (NHTSA, 2023). Is Cedar Rapids effectively protecting all of the citizens on the road?

Could you imagine if when you went to renew you license the DOT clerk informed you of laws relating to bicyclists? Or the implementation of a driver's duty when sharing the road in a drivers ed course? 

Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa, so if mandated helmets, and educational measures were established could we get that number to 0 fatalities a year?

Through this petition, I call upon our local government to mandate helmets and educational measures to keep all citizens safe. It is our collective responsibility as citizens of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to ensure safety in our roads and eliminate the needless risk of accidents. Please sign this petition and lend your voice to this life-saving cause. -Thank You!