Police to Get Serious on Helmet Law : Safety: Enforcement of ’94 statute begins Sunday when all bicyclists under 18 will be required to wear protection or face a fine.

Santa Claus knows the law, that is why he brought 6-year-old Randal Marchessault a helmet along with his bicycle on Christmas.

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“Santa knows everything,” the Newbury Park youth said as he rested on his training-wheel equipped bicycle in Conejo Creek Park. Randal had his new helmet on and said he planned to wear it each time he took his bicycle out of the garage. There are no $25 tickets in his future.

Starting Sunday, police throughout California say they intend to enforce for the first time the state’s bicycle helmet law. The law, enacted this year but not enforced, requires bicyclists under age 18 to wear a safety helmet or face a fine of $25.

The law mandated that police let offenders off with warnings this year. That will end in 1995, police throughout the state vowed.

The law doesn’t sit well with some teen-agers, who wonder why skateboarders and roller-bladers are not regulated the same way. And parents who can’t afford to buy the $20 to $50 helmets are also uncomfortable with the law.

“The law doesn’t say ‘thou shall only wear a helmet if you can afford one,’ ” Santa Paula Police Cmdr. Mark Hanson said. “We don’t have that luxury.”

The law does provide that fines collected should be used to help poor families buy helmets. The financial aid program is to be administered by public health officials in each county.

Officials in Ventura County, however, said they do not have a program in place.

“We don’t know how many fines will be collected,” county spokeswoman June English said. The law also provides for offenders to have charges dismissed on their first offense.

The controversial measure narrowly cleared the Legislature in 1993 and was signed into law by Gov. Pete Wilson. Opponents challenged the wisdom of citing 6-year-old children when police department budgets are tight.

But police officers say the benefits of the law outweigh the negatives.

“I have personally investigated crashes where youths with helmets have fallen and struck their heads and walked away with only minor scratches,” said Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig Smith, who is assigned to patrol Thousand Oaks.

Smith also cites the death of Rolondo Reyes, 14, in September, 1993. The teen-ager landed on his head after he was thrown from his bicycle as he traveled along Thousand Oaks Boulevard. He died two days later.

“A helmet would have saved his life,” Smith said. He said officers patrolling Thousand Oaks will warn offenders caught for the first time, but a letter will be mailed home.

“We’ll have their names on file,” he said. “We’ll issue citations for second offenses.”

But older bicyclists such as Casey Underwood, 17, said the law is a violation of individual rights and discriminatory.

“It’s stupid,” the Newbury Park resident said as he stopped for a rest on his mountain bike in Conejo Creek Park. He was not wearing a helmet. “Skateboarding is much more dangerous.”

Police and government officials were at a loss to explain how skateboarders avoided regulation but said more youths bicycle than skateboard.

In testimony before the Legislature, helmet advocates said bicycle-related injuries are the leading cause of death and brain damage among children ages 5 to 14.

“Even before the law was passed, I bought helmets for my kids,” said Bruce Markarian as he watched his 5-year-old daughter take a slow-speed tumble on her bicycle in Conejo Creek Park. She was wearing her helmet.

Bicycle stores throughout the county report an increase in helmet sales.

“Even adults are getting the message,” said Ross Palmer of Cycle Scene in Ventura. He said helmet sales are up 30% over this time last year.