CC Resolution No. 4112 ~ \
• RESOLUTION N0. 4112
`
. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
.CITY OF CUPERTINO '~~URGING MANDATORY
MOTORCYCLE HELMET ..LEGISLATION IN
. .CALIF.ORNIA
._....IdHEREAS, on Christmas .,Day,1975 Steven R. Aorgan, a 21-year old .
resident of Cupertino, .died as,::a result of head in~uries received in ,a-•~_.-..:. •
collision between his motorcycle and another vehicle on September 12;~.1975.
~~~~~having~ne~er regained cnnsciousness in the interval; and ~ .
~WHEREAS, Mr. Horgan was not wear-ing a protective helmet at the time :
. ~ of the accident; and : . . ~
WHEREAS~ Mr. Horgan's accident.:~~:shares eertain features with far too
many such accidents: . ~ - ~ ~ -
a) Easily avoidable ~disabling or- fatal, injur•ies, ~ ~
b) to the youngest and~healthiest members of our adult
society, and ~
c) entailing the particularly heartbreaking experience of a
slow death or.permanent~disability typical of severe brain ~
trauma; and .
WHEREAS~ California is one of only two~•states with.no mandatory
motorcycle helmet law; and
- ~`•:-WHEREAS, Che Uta~h State Supreme Court among o.thers found that ~...in~uries
to a mo.torcyclist are a matter of public concern";~and:~~ '
~..~:_WEIEREAS, a recent-=-University of California~-~study of 127 motorcycle crashes
• , found'~that~~only 24, riders were wearing helmets -and 43% of the riders not
wearing helmets sustained severe to .£ata~l~:.;head in~uries; and . '
WHEREAS. motorcycle fatalities in the State of Washington dropped 49%
following enactment of mandatory helmet legislation, and fatal head injuries .
were reduced 61%; and . ~
WHEREAS, a U.S. Depar.tment of Transportation study showed that for
the years 1967 to 1970 states'~with helmet laws.~fiad-•a consistently lower ~
.~•..-~•~'~fatality rate (per registered.motorcycle) than did states without~such laws;:and
. WHEREAS~ the City of Cupertino.has.collected most of the available
. . ~ , repor.ts ..and .articles on this sub~ect ~(:the~~~,most cogent perhaps: being a study •
~ titled"~Motorcycle Helmet and Daytime Headlamps Use Laws: ~ffect-on Use and
• Fatalities, Leon S. Robertson, Ph.D:) the net effect of which is to render
~ •untenable a continued public po?icy of "hands off"._,regarding~this issue.
~
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City '
of Cupertino requests its representat3ves in the California Legislature to ~
introduce and support enactment of mandatory motorcycle helmet legislation ~
in California~ and urges the Santa Cl.ara County conCingent to support such
legislation; and ; ~ '
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVID that copies of this resolution be forwarded
~ to the City Councils of the other 14 cities in Santa Clara County and that
they be requested to lend their support to such legislation.
PASSED ANb ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the .
City of Cupertino this 2nd day of February , 1976, by the ~
following vote: ,
Vote Members of the City Council
AYES: Frolich, Meyers, Nellis, Jackson
NOES: None ~
ABSENT: Sparks .
ABSTAIN: None
APPROVED: •
,
- /s/ James E. Jackson
Mayor, City of Cupertino
ATTEST:
/s/ Wm. E. Ryder
City Clerk
, NOW, TFiEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City
of Cupartino requests its representat3ves in the California Legislature to ~
introduce and support enactment of mandatory motorcycle helmet legislation
in California, and urges the Santa Clara County contingent to support such ,
legislation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be forwarded
to the City Councils of the other 14 cities in Santa Clara County and that
they ba requested to lead their support to such legislation.
PASSED AND ADOPTID at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of Cupertino this 2nd day of February , 1976, by the
fo~lowing vote:
Vote Members of Che City Council
AYES: Frolich, Meyers, Nellis, Jackson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Sparks,
ABSTAIN: None
APPROVEH~f~
/s/ James E. Jackson
Mayor, City of Cupertino
ATTEST:
/s/ Wm. E. Rvder
City Clerk