LAS VEGAS, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Twelve motorcycle riders filed a class action lawsuit against Nevada's Clark County over enforcement of the state's helmet law, authorities said.
The suit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court against the county and five of its cities: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite and Boulder City, the Las Vegas Sun reported.
"Defendants, through their agents, have an ongoing pattern and practice of issuing helmet tickets to the class members that are not supported by constitutionally sufficient probable cause, thereby violating the civil rights of the class members," the suit, filed by Las Vegas attorney Travis Barrick, charges.
The helmet law is enforced "as a pretext for invading the liberties and civil rights" of the class members, the suit says.
A number of effort have been made to repeal Nevada's 1972 law requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets as a safety measure but all have failed, the Sun said.
The suit, if certified as a class, could represent more than 40,000 motorcycle riders in Clark County.
