Motorcycle Helmets The Statistics

Motorcycle Helmets: The Statistics

Summary: When you go for a ride on your motorcycle, youre out to have fun. And hey, youve never had a crash before, so why would it happen now? Here are the government statistics about motorcycle helmets.

A brief history of the Law

In , the US federal government said that it would take away funding from any state that didnt have a helmet law. By , states had complied with the federal government. However, in , they repealed the law, ruling it unconstitutional. M...

car,truck,motorcycle,helmet,safety,statistics,government,mortality,death,rates,percentages,hurt,safe

Article Body: When you go for a ride on your motorcycle, youre out to have fun. And hey, youve never had a crash before, so why would it happen now? Here are the government statistics about motorcycle helmets.

A brief history of the Law

In , the US federal government said that it would take away funding from any state that didnt have a helmet law. By , states had complied with the federal government. However, in , they repealed the law, ruling it unconstitutional. Most states softened their helmet laws.

Kentucky and Louisiana

In the late s, Kentucky and Louisiana repealed their helmet laws. While the helmet laws were in effect, nearly % of the people wore their helmets. When the laws came off the books, it fell to only half of people wearing helmets. The rate of fatalities per number of registered motorcycles rose % in Kentucky, and it rose a staggering % in Louisiana.

Dont mess with Texas

Similarly to Kentucky and Louisiana, Texas took its helmet law off the books in for riders or older who have insurance or training. Helmet use dropped from % to %, and motorcycle related deaths went up /rd. This means that the death rates corresponds almost directly to the proportion of people who do not wear helmets.

Floridas Example

Florida repealed its helmet law in . From - (three years while the law was in place) motorcycle riders were killed in crashes; of those deaths were people not wearing helmets. From - (three years after the law was created) there were motorcycle riders killed in crashes; of these were not wearing their helmet.

What we can learn from this is that more people die when helmet use becomes optional. There were roughly deaths in each three year period of people who wear helmets. However, the rate of people who died not wearing helmets went up more than times. This is not coincidental.

Helmet Law Defense League

The Helmet Law Defense League is a group of people who lobby against laws requiring the use of helmets. They claim that it anti-constitutional to force people to wear helmets. They also argue that the word helmet is too vague.

Bells and Whistles

Even if you dont choose to wear a motorcycle helmet for safety reasons, there are other reasons. The face guard allows you to see more clearly and prevents damage to your eyes when you go at high speeds. It also offers ear protection. Some helmets can be equipped with intercoms so you can communicate with your friends while youre on your bike.

The Source

The mortality rate statistics are taken directly from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The figures can be accessed through their annual reports, and some are available on their websites.