LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thousands of cyclists will pedal through the San Fernando Valley for CicLAvia on Sunday.
Many will have on helmets, but some may choose not to wear one. State Sen. Carol Liu (D-Berkeley) believes helmets should be mandatory, and she's introduced SB192 to change the law.
"People are being hurt and we feel like there is a need to do something to improve safety," Liu said.
Accidents involving bicyclists are on the side, according to the California Highway Patrol. The proposed senate bill would fine cyclists $25 for not wearing a helmet. They would also be required to wear reflective clothing at night.
Courtney Pruitt rides her bike to work without wearing a helmet.
"I feel like Carol Liu should spend her time doing other things than trying to regulate helmets because it's a person's personal decision whether to wear a helmet or not," she said.
Currently, no states require adults to wear helmets, but 21 states, including California and the District of Columbia, require children and teens to wear a helmet.
Eric Bruins, from the Los Angeles County Bicycle Association, supports wearing a helmet, but he said the bill would do nothing to reduce collisions.
"Ultimately if we want to make bicycling safer and get more people to ride bikes, we need to really focus on the strategies that reduce collisions in the first place," he said.
He adds that more bike lanes and education would benefit cyclists and drivers. Liu stands behind her proposal despite opposition from the cycling community.
"It's a very hard conversation to change behavior, especially if you don't believe it's going to make a difference," she said.
A committee will vote on the bill within the next two months.