Moped Helmet Law Championed by West High Students Defeated in Senate

In a on Iowa City Patch this week, the friends of Caroline Found said they expected that they would have an uphill climb passing a bill that would require helmets for moped users under the age of 18.

It looks like they were right.

Jason Clayworth of the Des Moines Register reports that despite their lobbying efforts, the moped helmet bill was defeated in the senate today. The bill had made it from a transportation committee to a subcommittee, but its progress stalled there.

Still, the young advocates are trying to keep their chins up, and they told Clayworth they plan to continue their efforts.

“It is definitely a disappointment,” said Caroline Van Voorhis, a 17-year-old student at Iowa City West High School. “We definitely came here hoping they would realize this is a really important issue and pass it out of the subcommittee but we’re not going to be scared to go forward. We’re going to keep pushing.”