It’s editorial “Bringing back PA. helmet Law” is subtitled “mandatory helmet laws do nothing to prevent accidents, and they may even cause them in some cases.” It concludes: “The bottom line is this: Motorcycle-helmet use should be encouraged, not required. Adults are capable of making personal-safety decisions on their own.”
WATCHDOG: Tell that t o Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray whose life was probably saved when a pickup truck ran a stop sign and crashed into him, breaking numerous bones but causing no head injuries.
The article fairly points out that the National Transportation Safety Board statistics record that motorcycle fatalities more than doubled during a period when overall highway fatalities declined (1997-2008). The NTSB also notes that the result of using helmets saves some $13 billion during 1984 to 1999.
When someone is killed or brain damaged, society often has to pay for their care and also make provisions for their families.
Riding a cycle is inherently dangerous. A little gravel on the road, an oil slick, an open seam …all can lead to a skid and fall. Furthermore, car and truck drivers often don’t notice motorcycles. That’s why wise cyclists keep their headlights on during daytime and are very watchful.
Concerning helmets blocking visibility, that’s nonsense. Not a shred of statistical evidence is given concerning the subtitles assertion. The view is better than from the front seat of a car. What they do is block the wonderful feeling of riding into the wind, but that is something that we have to sacrifice for safety. (Yes, the younger Watchdog was a cyclist.)
If we are not allowed to drive over a speed limit, if we must stop at traffic lights and stop signs, if our cars must have air bags and we are to wear seat belts, why shouldn’t cyclists be required to wear helmets for their own good, the good of their families, and the good of all society?
I heartily agree with the Watchdog. I was once a rider, also. I was “T-boned” at an intersection. I lost the heel of one boot, ruined my jacket, scraped the back off my gloves and my helmet took a bad hit. The helmet either saved my life or prevented a serious head injury.
Now I no longer am required to wear a helmet. I can ride on two wheels with virtually no protection. Yet when I drive a car, protected by a steel cage, I am required by law to wear a seat belt.
Perhaps the best solution would be to nullify any bodily harm insurance if the bike rider chooses not to wear a helmet. The would save both society and the insurance companies a bit of money.