Seattle's Homeless Bearing the Brunt of Helmet Citations

Almost half of bike helmet citations in the city are issued to people experiencing homelessness.

1 minute read

December 28, 2020, 10:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Protected Bike Lane

joshua_putnam / Flickr

Seattle's all-ages bicycle helmet law has long prompted criticism, and new data shows uneven enforcement that disproportionately affects the unhoused. Since 2017, Seattle police have only given out 117 citations for lack of helmet use. Of those, 50 or more were given to homeless people, with that number growing to 60% in 2020. This low-end estimate, arrived at through an analysis of citations and other public records, shows the disproportionate burden of the helmet law, with enforcement primarily targeted at people least able to pay the ticket—or purchase a helmet. When a law is consistently flouted by a large percentage of the population, police can "pick and choose who they stop," says Tom Fucoloro of the Seattle Bike Blog. This vast amount of discretion opens the door to discrimination and uneven enforcement.

Seattle's bike helmet citations are indicative of a broader trend. Studies in other parts of the country show similar disparities in the enforcement of low-level offenses such as jaywalking, prompting questions about the unintended consequences of this kind of policing and how such unwarranted stops amount to excuses to "stop-and-frisk." Barb Chamberlain, active transportation director for the Washington State Department of Transportation, sees a pattern. "There’s a large bucket that the bike helmet thing fits into," she says, "which is the way we’ve criminalized normal human behavior."

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in Crosscut

Black and white Rideshare Pick-Up Zone sign

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing

From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

June 1, 2023 - Human Transit

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living

Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Vancouver Chuck Wolfe

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown

In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

May 24, 2023 - GeekWire

Vacant storefront in historic building on Powell Street in San Francisco, California

Few Landlords Pay San Francisco Vacancy Tax

Less than 3 percent of properties potentially subject to a new vacancy tax were filed as vacant in the last year, but empty storefronts in the city persist.

June 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of manufactured home being dropped off or moved by red truck in mobile home park

In Spite of Affordability Crisis, Richmond Rejects Manufactured Housing Plan

After declaring a housing crisis, the Virginia capital’s city council voted against a proposed manufactured home warehouse that would distribute replacements for aging manufactured housing stock.

June 4 - Greater Greater Washington

Graphic for '1000 Joys of Planning' with The Planning Commission Podcast

A Planning Commission Podcast Journey: The 1,000 Joys of Planning

The Commissioners explore the facets of the planning profession that fill their cups with joy.

June 4 - The Planning Commission Podcast

Project Manager III

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

UDO Transportation Planner

City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.