Motorcycle helmet laws

In this paper I will debate the pros and cons of the controversial motorcycle helmet law. 

Fleming, H. S. and E. R. Becker (1992). The impact of the Texas 1989 motorcycle helmet law on total and head-related fatalities, severe injuries, and overall... 

Hotz, G. A., S. M. Cohn, C. Popkin, P. Ekeh, R. Duncan, E. W. Johnson, F. Pemas and J. Selem (2002). The Impact of a Repealed Motorcycle Helmet Law in Miami-Dade County. J. Trauma-Inj. Infection Critical Care, 52(3), 469-474. 

Kyrychenko, S. Y. and A. T. McCartt (2006). Florida s Weakened Motorcycle Helmet Law Effects on Death Rates in Motorcycle Crashes. Traffic Inj. Prev., 7,55-60. 

Morris, C. C. (2006). Generalized linear regression analysis of association of imiversal helmet laws with motorcyclist fatality rates. Accid. Anal Prev., 38, 142-147. Muller, A. (2004). Florida s Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal and Fatality Rates. Am. J. Pub. Health, 94(4), 556-558. 

Preusser, D. F., J. H. Hedlund and R. G. Ulmer (2000). Evaluation of motorcycle helmet law repeal in Arkansas and Texas. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Report DTNH22-97-D-05018. U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington DC. 

Some sound research findings are often ignored due to lack of political will. Reluctance to enact primary belt laws and motorcycle helmet laws are prime examples. They also exemplify the conflict between safety and other norms (in this case individual freedom). 

Quasi-experimental evaluation of the introduction of universal helmet laws. Mandatory helmet laws have been a very effective means of increasing helmet usage and rider safety. The most effective laws are known as xmiversal helmet laws. These laws require that all motorcycle riders at all times wear a helmet, without any exceptions. In contrast to these laws are limited (or state) helmet laws, which are often the resulting compromise between safety advocates and motorcycle riders lobbyists. These laws require helmet use only for specific sub-groups such as riders under a certain age, riders in the learning phase, and riders with less than a year of experience. Whenever they are compared, the limited helmet laws are less effective in reducing deaths and injuries than the universal helmet laws (Ichikawa et al., 2003 Sosin and Sacks,... 

Table 16-6, Average percent of riders with various outcomes out of all hospitalized riders following a motorcycle crash in 17 U.S. states with universal helmet laws and in 16 states without universal helmet laws (from Coben et al., 2007, with permission from Elsevier)...

Branas, C. C. and M, M. Knudson (2001). Helmet laws and motorcycle rider death rates. Accid. Anal Prev., 33, 641-648. 

Coben, J. H., C. A. Steiner and T. R. Miller (2007). Characteristics of motorcycle-related hospitalizations Comparing states with different helmet laws. Accid. Anal Prev., 9 190-196. 

Kraus, J. F., C. Peek, D. L. McArthur and A. Williams (1994). The effect of the 1992 California motorcycle helmet usage law on motorcycle crash fatalities and injuries. 272,1506-1511. 

Sosin, D. M. and J. J. Sacks (1992). Motorcycle helmet-use laws and head injury prevention. JAMA, 267(12), 1649-1651. 

Motorcycle helmet wearing laws have an even more chequered history, and helmet wearing is very low by Western motorised nation benchmarks (see Box 8.2). 

There is no motorcycle helmet use law in three states (Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire). 

A motorcyclist who does not ride with a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die in a collision than one who does. In 1975, forty-seven states required that helmets be worn by all motorcycle drivers and their passengers these laws were challenged as contrary to individual rights, and today only twenty states have such a requirement. 

Mitchell, K. A., J. A. Kufera, M. F. Ballesteros, J. E. Smialek and P. C. Dischinger (2001). Autopsy Study of Motorcyclist Fatalities The Effect of the 1992 Maryland Helmet Use Law. Paper Presented at the International Motorcycle Safety Conference, Orlando, Florida. 

BOX 8.2 MOTORCYCLE AND BICYCLE HELMET WEARING LAWS (UNITED STATES)... 

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