Vermont Lt. Gov. Breaks Tie to Lighten No-Helmet Penalty for Bikers

May 4, 2016

Vermont Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican candidate for governor, has cast an unusual tie-breaking vote in favor of lightening the penalty for riding a motorcycle without a helmet.

A bill on the Senate floor last Friday preserved the fine for the infraction, but did away with points on a driver’s license. An accumulation of points can lead to further fines, license suspension and increased insurance rates.

Sen. Joe Benning, a Caledonia County Republican, said riding without a helmet was similar to not wearing a seat belt, which also carries no points.

Sen. Virginia Lyons, a Chittenden County Democrat, moved to strike the change from the bill and leave the points in place.

The Senate split 14-14 on a roll call and Scott broke the tie to eliminate the points.

Topics Vermont

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

Latest Comments

  • May 5, 2016 at 7:38 am
    Stush says:
    I agree Bill. If folks want to ride without a helmet, fine with me but don't expect any sympathy (or money) for a loss that could have been avoided or at least mitigated. So... read more
  • May 4, 2016 at 3:50 pm
    Bill says:
    If you don't want to wear your helmet, you should forfeit any right to sue for damages due to head injuries received in a crash. If you die from those injuries, tough luck. ... read more
  • May 4, 2016 at 3:02 pm
    Crain says:
    The flaw in your argument is that we all pay the cost for those who get injured when not wearing a helmet through our health care or our taxes. Obamacare did not change that f... read more

Add a CommentSee All Comments (4)Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

More News
More News Features