The US Department of Transporation now has its own blog called "Fastlane", headed up by the DOT's leader herself, Mary Peters.

Peters, pictured here, has made a name for herself in the motorcycle circles, because of her self-appointed campaign to get every state in the Union to make helmets mandatory.

You might want to bookmark this one, and post your thoughts and feelings everytime she talks about helmets. Or you just might want to introduce yourself right now, and let her know how you feel...

http://fastlane.dot.gov/

Via Bruce and Ray's Biker Forum

Labels: Helmet Laws, Websites

A research team at the University of Calgary says that riding horses is more dangerous than riding motorcycles. It's even more dangerous than skiing and football.

As reported by The Canadian Press...

The research team says a review of 7,941 trauma patients at Foothills Medical Centre over 10 years found that 151 people were severely injured while horseback riding.

The study published in the American Journal of Surgery says the hospital injury rate for equestrian activity was more than three times higher than for motorcycle riding.

Labels: Helmet Laws

Apparently, throughout Vietnam, the government is running a series of advertisements trying to coerce their citizens into wearing helmets.

Here's an example of one such ad...



I discovered these ads on another motorcycle blog, "Twisting Asphalt". I tried to post a comment on that blog in response to something the blogger said, something about not understanding why bikers don't wear helmets. However, his blog requires a captcha to validate the comment, and his blog software produces a broken URL to the captcha image, showing only a red "x".

So, I'm commenting on my blog instead.

The reason why these ads make sense in Vietnam is because ALL injuries are paid by public funds.

In the USA however, the majority of motorcycle injuries are liability cases, in which another party is charged with compensation. If that party doesn't have adequate coverage, then the injured rider's uninsured/underinsured policy kicks in. If the injury is not a liability case, then the injured rider's own health insurance policy pays for it. Very rarely does a motorcycle injury become absorbed by the State.

That's why helmets are a personal freedom issue in the USA.

If you disagree that motorcycle injuries rarely become absorbed by the State, consider that no one has actually quantified this. Proponents of helmet laws have pounded the "public healthcare burden" for years, while never actually proving it. I've yet to see any comprehensive studies on this. Proponents figure it makes sense, and that people are gullible enough to believe it.

ALL bikers agree, however, that a helmet will reduce the severity of an injury, but very few will agree that it will prevent an injury. Many bikers point to evidence that it actually exacerbates neck injuries, which is actually the larger cause of death and permanent disability.

The reason why accidents are on the rise is because a comfort factor has grown with cars and motorcycles. Safer cars, improved technology, airbags, mandatory seatbelts, anti-lock brakes, have all turned bad drivers into comfortable drivers. The same is true with motorcycles. The majority of accidents are caused by drivers and riders either not paying attention, or doing stupid things.

Forcing people to wear a helmet puts a bandaid on a big problem.

If a serial shooter was on the loose, firing at random citizens, do go after the shooter, or do you force everyone to wear bullet-proof vests? My solution is focus on bad drivers and riders.

Eliminate the problem, and we'll all be safer AND freer.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Vietnam

State Senator Gary Simpson has sponsored a bill in the State of Delaware to reinstate the mandatory helmet law.

Delaware has been "freedom of choice" since 1978.

Read the full article here...
http://www.nbc10.com/..../detail.html

Labels: Delaware, Helmet Laws

Mike Hays of Nolensville, TN, a volunteer lobbyist for Tennssee ABATE, writes a commentary about the state's repeal of the helmet law, and says that cagers suffer 12 times more head injuries than bikers...

Since Tennessee head injury rates in automobiles are more than 12 times higher than that for motorcycles, will we all be wearing helmets in automobiles soon? If the folks who proclaim "if we can just save one life" have their way, it's possible.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Tennessee

The Associated Press reports that a Pennsylvania state legislator has submitted a bill to reverse the 2003 law that made wearing a helmet optional for riders 21 years and older...

But state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, has introduced legislation to reverse the law.

He said there are too many deaths and injuries suffered by helmetless motorcyclists and that the associated medical costs are driving up costs to the public.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Pennsylvania

Lawmakers in the State of Michigan are proposing a move to designate the third Wednesday of every July as "Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day."

The idea is that of State Rep. Richard LeBlanc, a Democrat. He along with 13 other Democrats are supporting the effort. LeBlanc claims to love motorcycles, A LOT...

"I've always loved motorcycles," said LeBlanc, who got his first one as a gift from his grandfather at age 9. He's owned roughly 130 over his lifetime, including five now-counting the new Harley-and gave his sons their first ones at ages 2 and 4.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Holidays, Michigan

Television station WKRN in Nashville, Tennessee has a video segment about a proposed bill that will change the mandatory helmet law by giving riders over 21 years of age, the choice to ride without...

http://www.wkrn.com/node/87994#top

The video segment is actually part of the station's "That is Messed Up" feature, where the news program focuses on dumb things, in this case, modifying the helmet law.

I guess we know where they stand on this issue.

Interestingly, Tennessee is also the state that is considering a ban on motorcycle wheelies.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Legislation, Tennessee

Here's an article from USA Today stating that eight states are making an aggressive push to force a lid on a biker's noggin...

http://www.usatoday.com/....helmet-laws_N.htm

Interestingly, the article cites the motorcycle crash of football quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as one of the inspirations for this effort...

Harsha said the push for tighter laws also is inspired by Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback who broke facial bones when his motorcycle collided with a car last June. Roethlisberger wasn't wearing a helmet.

Labels: Helmet Laws

That's the gist from National Public Radio. Their audio report takes the standpoint that socialists and big brother advocates are losing their effort to force bikers to helmet up, and they're crediting ABATE for being highly effective.

Listed to the full audio report...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7761667&ft=1&f=1003

If you'd like to keep the momentum going, locate an ABATE chapter near you and attend a meeting...
http://www.abate.org/supportersandinfo/allies/

Labels: ABATE, Helmet Laws

Mary E. Peters, who is in President Bush's Cabinet as the Transportation Secretary, wants motorcycle manufacturers to throw in free helmets, or free motorcycle safety training with the purchase of a new bike...

Secretary Peters said only 58 percent of riders wear helmets today, which is down 13 percent from just four years ago. She added that manufacturers could help reverse the trend by getting helmets into riders' hands and training them how to ride safely, noting that 700 motorcyclists would survive crashes every year if they wore helmets.

Labels: Helmet Laws

Motorcycle-haters have apparently set their sights on Montana for the next mandatory helmet law:

http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/lchtml/LC1683.htm

Montana, which enjoys the reputation of being one of the freest states in the nation, is now the target of liberals who wish to put an end to "freedom of choice". What better place to start than in Big Sky Country?

The American Motorcycle Association already sent a letter to State Representative Betsy Hands (D), the author of this bill. However, the AMA went about it the old way of stating "freedom of choice" and "bikers rights", the same argument that has failed time and time again.

The reason why they're introducing mandatory helmet laws, however, is because it shifts the burden of safety to the rider. In other words, it's the cheapest solution.

All of us bikers know that if everyone drove and rode more carefully, helmets wouldn't be necessary. But how do you force automobile drivers to drive more carefully?

Well, one way is to hire more cops, like triple the number of cops. But that costs lots of money. When a state like Montana has problems with unemployment, farmers going out of business, schools cutting programs, etc., it makes motorcycle safety seem trivial. It's easier to make helmets mandatory.

In the long run, converting more people into bikers may eventually turn the tide on mandatory helmet laws. But short of doing that, the only way to shift the laws into our favor is reduce the number of accidents. I don't know how we're supposed to do that, but as long as motorcycle fatality rates continue to climb, bikers are going to see more restrictive laws.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Montana

Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the one who got smacked up riding his motorcycle into a car that turned left in front of him, said Friday that he won't do any motorcycle safety announcements.

He wasn't wearing his helmet at the time, and suffered some facial injuries.

"I don't think that's my place. Some people feel that, you know, I probably should be doing that and being a big advocate for that. But for me, I'm going to let people make their own decisions ... So I don't think you'll see me doing any kind of billboards or advertisements."

Labels: Ben Roethlisberger, Helmet Laws

Scripps Howard News Service released another article concerning biker deaths, this time focusing on helmet law repeal.

The reporter correlates a rise in motorcycle fatalities with a rise in helmet law repeals.

Of course, the reporter doesn't mention that there are also a lot more people riding motorcycles these days as well, and doesn't mention why bikers are getting into accidents.

But the article does dive into the politics behind the helmet law repeals, and its history. It's good reading just for that purpose.

Some interesting quotes:

Yet motorcyclists have become so passionately opposed to mandatory helmet laws that they've formed powerful state and national lobbies, persuaded Congress to muzzle federal highway safety experts and convinced lawmakers in 30 states to roll
back their statutes.

Labels: Helmet Laws

KOLR 10 in Missouri has an article about state legislators considering a bill to modify the helmet law to give riders 21 and over the option.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Legislation, Missouri

Labels: Helmet Laws, Humor, Photos

Back on May 24, 2005, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT), reported that the number of motorcycle-related fatalities in 2004 was 157, compared to 171 in 2003. The significance of those numbers is that in July of 2003, the Governor signed into a law a bill allowing motorcyclists to ride without helmets. Hence, the helmet repeal did not actually contribute to an increase of deaths.

Since last May, the DOT admitted it made a mistake in reporting the number of motorcycle deaths for 2003. The correct number is actually 156. They had accidentally included deaths from ATVs. Still, 156 deaths in 2003 compared to 157 in 2004, shows that riding without helmets doesn't necessarily lead to more deaths.

Once again, showing that responsible riding goes a lot farther in reducing deaths than wearing helmets.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Pennsylvania

An article published in The Detroit News explains that a repeal to Michigan's mandatory helmet law could be repealed. The bill actually passed the State Senate, and is expected to pass the House as well. Supporters are now pressuring the Governor to sign the bill, who has already stated that she is not in favor of doing so.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Michigan

If it seems that there's a lot of news about helmet laws recently, it's because February is typically the month when new legislation gets introduced.

Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, a group of bikers showed up in the State Capitol of Oregon trying to get the state's helmet law repealed. A bill was introduced to allow motorcyclists to decide whether or not to wear helmets.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting:

Former governor John Kitzhaber vetoed one helmet bill in 1997, citing injuries he'd seen as an emergency room physician.

Governor Ted Kulongoski has not had to take a position on the issue, but his son survived a motorcycle accident in part because he wore a helmet. A committee in the Oregon House takes testimony on the bill this week.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Oregon

The Bangor News reports that yesterday motorcyclists from across Maine gathered at the State House to speak out against a proposed mandatory helmet law for bikers. Maine had a helmet law before, but was repealed back in 1977.

Maine's governor, John E. Baldacci is a biker himself, who always wears his helmet despite not being required to do so. Balducci was also a strong advocate of the State's mandatory seat belt law. However, he's not so quick to sign a bill requiring helmets for bikers. So far, Balducci has not given his opinion on the proposed law.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Maine

The Virginia House of Delegates voted 51-46 against legislation that will repeal the State's mandatory helmet law.

There were several statements made for and against the measure:

"There is a valid public safety issue here," said Republican Del. John O'Bannon, a Henrico County neurologist. "We don't let people with bad vision drive, we don't let people with bald tires on their cars drive, and this is in that same category. ...This is a no-brainer."

Labels: Helmet Laws, Virginia

Today, Virginia's House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee approved the bill that would repeal the State's mandatory helmet law. The law would still require riders under the age of 21 to wear a helmet. The next step is for the House, in full, to take a vote.

The News & Advance, a newspaper in Virginia, wasn't very happy about this. An opinion published in their paper today was critical of this vote, accusing the committee of "igoring reality":

Champagne also cited a University of Southern California study of 3,600 motorcycle crashes that showed that wearing a helmet was the single most important factor in preventing or reducing head and neck injuries. "When you suffer a head trauma injury, if you're fortunate enough not to be killed, you generally end up with such a disability that you may require long-term care for the rest of your life."

And who is going to pay for that? Delegate William J. Barlow, D-Isle of Wight, said that taxpayers are often saddled with the health care costs of crash victims who suffer brain injuries from motorcycle accidents.

If it considers Champagne's testimony carefully, there's no way the full House could repeal the mandatory helmet law. It saves lives. But don't hold your breath. The individual's freedom to pursue his or her own course - no matter how dangerous or destructive - is running rampant in the House of Delegates.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Virginia Motorcycle Legislation

A judge in Santa Cruz, California ruled that police citations for not wearing a helmet are actually "fix-it" tickets because they are correctable violations. However, California Highway Patrol officers are saying that they don't agree with this and don't plan to sign-off on these tickets.

This all started with with a biker named Richard Quigley, who was cited nine separate times for not wearing a helmet. Thus far, Quigley has refused to pay the tickets, claiming that the law hasn't been clear enough as to what is an "acceptable helmet".

The problem is that California law doesn't provide specifics on what a motorcycle helmet should do. It simply requires that it have a certification sticker on it.

Prosecutor Brock says state law refers to federal guidelines that don't specify helmet attributes, but outline tests for manufacturers who can self-certify their helmets passed the tests. They include whether the head gear depresses when struck with a metal anvil, which a cap obviously would not.

Federal officials set specifications for manufacturers and do "spot checks" to ensure compliance, said Rae Tyson of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He admits police complain of trouble proving noncompliance due to fake stickers and says they are working on new labels.

Quigley also maintains that the district attorney is "more interested in a win" than fixing the problem. He says they should admit the law is unclear and ask the attorney general for clarification.

Yet Quigley does not believe the government should tell him what to wear, and he has been fighting the state's helmet law for years.

Labels: California Motorcycle Legislation, Helmet Laws, Richard Quigley

Virginia Republican Delegate Bill Janis of Henrico County has sponsored a bill to make wearing a helmet optional for adults. The bill is now being considered by the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee. This Wednesday, motorcyclists are expected to testify before the committee in favor of the bill.

The committee has already heard from James E. Champagne, chairman of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

"We had a helmet law from 1982 until 1999 when, through a lack of wisdom, we decided to believe in the tooth fairy instead of reality," Champagne said in an interview prior to his appearance before the committee last week.

Louisiana repealed its mandatory helmet law in 1999 but reinstated it last year after motorcycle fatalities increased dramatically. According to Champagne, who also is Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco's highway safety representative, 35 motorcyclists were killed in the state in 1998. Seventy-nine died in 2003, a 125 percent increase over 1998, he said.

However, Janis said the increased fatalities corresponded with an increase in motorcycles and crashes. The number of deaths per 100 crashes was already increasing before the law was repealed, and the rate actually declined in some of the subsequent years, he said.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Virginia Motorcycle Legislation

An effort is underway in Nebraska to repeal the helmet law. Senator Adrian Smith, of Gering, has submitted the proposal, after a similar proposal died back in 2003 due to time constraints.

"It's a matter of personal freedom," he said Thursday before the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee discussed his proposal. "Law enforcement has better things to do."

"There's enough evidence there to show that riding without a helmet causes a lot of head injuries."

Labels: Helmet Laws, Nebraska Motorcycle Legislation

Legislators in Texas returned back to the State Capitol to be greeted by thousands of bikers demanding changes to the State's helmet law, among changes to other laws. The group wants the helmet law changed so that riders 21 years of age and older are free to choose to wear a helmet, claiming that police are using the law to harass bikers:

"I am a registered voter, an American citizen, so I should have the right to decide whether or not I want to wear the helmet, not get pulled over and harrassed," Lupita Macias, biker from El Paso, said.

"We're constantly getting killed. I mean, they run through a stop sign, 'I didn't see him' or they'll even stop and then pull out, 'I didn't see him.' 'I didn't see him.' It's always, 'I didn't see him,'" said another rider.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Texas Motorcycle Legislation

Maine State Representative Walter Wheeler, a Democrat, has sponsored a new bill that will require the use of helmets when riding a motorcycle. Wheeler wrote the bill at the request of an 86 year old citizen, whose young relative was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Maine used to have a helmet law, but was repealed back in 1977. Since then, Maine has become friendly to bikers, shooting down subsequent attempts at resurrecting the helmet law. The last two governors of Maine are Harley riders, and government officials have always counted on bikers to help with charity work.

But lately, the media has jumped all over Maine the past few weeks sensationalizing the increase of motorcycle rider deaths. Since the Associated Press went nationwide with its report on Maine biker fatalities, a slew of other liberal news organizations have been hyping up the statistics in Maine. I monitor the news across all 50 states and around the world, as this is what I do as publisher of Biker News Online, and other news-focused websites. I haven't seen so much attention being focused on such a sparsely populated state.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Maine Motorcycle Legislation

If you're not familiar with the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS), they're a lobbying group who has taken it upon themselves to get more driver safety laws on the books.

Last week they published their 2nd annual report entitled, "Report - 2005 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws", where they chronicle their successes and failures in getting more safety laws on the books. Among their goals for 2005 is to get more states to adopt mandatory helmet laws:

30 states still need all-rider motorcycle helmet laws. Louisiana reinstated its all-rider helmet law in 2004 after experiencing a 100 percent increase in motorcycle rider deaths since it repealed its law in 1999. Numerous states considered repealing existing all-rider helmet laws in 2004. According to the Harris Poll, 82 percent of Americans support all-rider helmet laws.

Labels: Advocates Highway Auto Safety, Helmet Laws