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Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I too missed the speech of the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen, in the Chamber, but I heard it upstairs. I used to work in what we used to call the ““blood and bones”” department of our local hospital. I saw first-hand a number of children with severe head injuries who had fallen or been knocked off their bicycles. That has left a very strong impression on me. My two granddaughters, who might, not disparagingly, be described as rather vain little girls, are very happy to wear cycle helmets when they ride their bicycles, so there is no objection from them. Just as children will remind their parents to fasten their seatbelts, and they religiously wear their seatbelts in the back seats of cars when adults do not, I think that children can be encouraged to wear safety helmets. I would very much like to see this become law.