...Motorcycle Helmets Motorcycle riders drastically endanger their lives by not wearing helmets when riding their bikes. There have been many studies stating that wearing helmets could drastically save lives. Other studies have stated that it’s the drivers of automobiles which do not look out for motorcycles while driving is a real danger. Helmets will never produce a 100% survival rate but wearing them will increase your odds. Motorcycle helmets are necessary because they could save lives, help insurance premiums decrease, and they are required in other states. Some studies have shown that helmets could save one's life during an accident. Two-thirds of most accidents are caused by car drivers not paying attention to cyclists on the road. Helmets that are standard-approved with a recognized safety certification, American (ANSI Z90.4 or SNELL) should be worn while riding. Polystyrene layer inside helmets compresses to absorb the force of an impact. Helmets worn correctly and are standard- approved will reduce the risk of head injury by 85%, brain injury by 88% and severe brain injury by 75%. Due to, wearing helmets while riding motorcycles insurance premiums may reduce. Wearing helmets not only save lives, but insurance companies benefit from this also. In recent figures, 3,300 lives have been saved from wearing helmets and $4,638,173,956 saved with 100% helmet usage. Not wearing helmets has caused one's insurance deductibles to increase...
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...Mandatory Need for Motorcycle Helmets The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) estimates that helmets saved 1,784 motorcyclists from death in 2007. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 800 lives could have been saved. As an avid motorcycle operator, I have been in a few close calls of my own. Luckily for me, if something would have occurred, I would have at least been safer due to my motorcycle helmet. It is safe to say that thousands of lives could be saved each year by national adoption of universal helmet laws. From 1984 through 1995, helmets saved the lives of more than 7,400 motorcyclists. However, more than 6,300 additional deaths could have been prevented if all riders had been wearing helmets (tntrafficsafety.org). There are minor debates about one not feeling comfortable while riding with a helmet because of to the weight of it. However, manufacturers make carbon fiber helmets that have virtually no weight. On average they weight around two to three pounds. They are a bit more expensive than your average helmet. However, one can’t put a price on life.But is it Safety should definitely be the underlying factor, especially since riding a motorcycle is already considered dangerous in itself. The analysis of fatal crash data from 2008 to 2010 showed 12 percent of motorcyclists in states with universal helmet laws were not wearing helmets, but 64 percent of riders...
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...after they saved his life? If you knew that a seat belt would save your life, you would buckle up! It took years of legislation and public awareness campaigns to make seat belt use mandatory. Now a new topic regarding public safety is coming to light: people are dying or becoming seriously injured in seemingly minor accidents on bicycles when the rider's head strikes the concrete. When the head is unprotected "the brain continues to move in a forward motion while the skull stops moving" (Macyko1), causing trauma. What is needed is a way to protect the brain "by absorbing the energy from the impact, buying extra time for the brain to slow down" (Macyko1). Bicycle riders need to wear helmets to protect their brains from injury, yet unfortunately the public is simply not aware of this need and many people will continue to die or be seriously injured unless something is done. Bicycle helmets save lives and should be required by Arizona State law for riders of all ages. Opponents feel that bicycle helmet laws are too strict and are misdirected. Principally, they feel that helmet laws do not prevent accidents and point out the fact that "motor vehicles are involved in 90-92% of bicyclist deaths" (BHSI/Compendium 4). Creating awareness among drivers by lowering their speeds would create a safer cycling environment. Furthermore, opponents of helmet laws believe that "requiring motorists to wear helmets will save more lives" (Convissor 1) since statistics show the likelihood of fatality...
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...Saving Lives: Why All States Should Require Motorcyclists and Passengers to Wear Helmets By Janeal Pope Assignment 3: A Problem Exist ENG215: Research &Writing Pro. Dorothy J Valentine May 3, 2014 Abstract The impact is horrendous. It feels like I am rolling and tumbling forever. I feel my skin burning from sliding on the pavement; my head was traumatized as I continued to roll before finally coming to a stop. My husband recalls the night of his terrible motorcycle accident. Motorcyclists should be required to wear helmets in all states in order to be consistent, to avoid serious head injuries, and to reduce the amount of deaths due to accidents. Inconsistent The first universal motorcycle helmet law was legislated in 1967, and accepted in all but three states. Currently, half the states require helmets for all motorcyclists. Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire are the only states that don’t require motorcyclists to wear helmets (Governors Highway Safety Association, 2014). The federal government has twice enacted universal helmet laws, and then repealed them. In 1976, Congress revoked federal authority to assess penalties for noncompliance and states began to weaken helmet laws to apply, only to young or novice riders (Governors Highway Safety Association, 2014). Thirty-one states have had a universal helmet law repealed (undo law: to officially end the validity of something such as a law). The fact that the law has been repealed on several occasions...
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...of life situations. Laws are made to help save people lives and freedom. Wearing a helmet shouldn't be an option; it should be enforced and demanded by all state officials. Helmets saves lives why not wear one. The helmet law was brought to people’s attention in 1967, when the federal government required states to enact universal motorcycle helmet laws to qualify for certain highway safety funds. In 1975, all but 3 states complied. Congress revoked federal authority to assess penalties for non-compliance and the states began to weaken helmet laws to apply only to the young or novice riders (www.nhtsa.gov). There are 47 states, D.C., Guam, The Northern Mariana Island, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands that have a helmet law for motorcyclists. In 2012 there were 19 states, D.C., and 4 territories that have universal helmet law requiring helmets for all riders. The other 28 states and 1 territory have partial laws requiring minors and/or passengers to wear helmets. The last 3 states (Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire) have no helmet use requirements (www.ntsb.gov). The problem that needs to bring to the public attention is that wearing a helmet reduces the overall risk of dying in a crash by 37%. The use of helmets reduces the need for ambulances services, hospitalization, intensive care, rehabilitation, and long term care as a result of motorcycle crashes. All states need to require motorcyclist and passengers to wear a helmet. Many individuals’ young and old are taking...
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...Persuasive Paper Part 1 Jo Ratliff Professor Danny Meadows English 215 November 8, 2015 The monetary cost associated with not wearing a motorcycle helmet is extreme. The loss of life is even more distressing. In recent years we have seen an increase in motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities. Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. According to a government study posted on PubMed (2012), the un-helmeted motorcyclist has more severe injuries than the motorcyclist wearing a helmet. The result is longer hospital stays, possible care after the hospital and higher medical expenses (Boarini DJ, 2012). Society shares the burden with the families of the motorcyclist involved. Insurance cost increases and if the injured person does not have medical, those cost are passed on to the consumer. Before considering owning and riding a motorcycle, the risk associated with not wearing a helmet needs to be considered. The issue of whether or not to wear a helmet is extremely controversial. Some motorcyclists take an emotional stand, stating that to ride with or without a helmet is their choice. They go on to say that taking that choice away is taking away their freedom. Everyone makes choices and decisions every day. Deciding not to become another statistic by wearing a helmet is a good choice. Wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle should be as commonplace as fastening your seatbelt before you start your car. There are always advertisements reminding us to...
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...best partner at riding, and the other type: Those who have not felt this sensation yet. This kind of person is always surprised and admired for those who ride. They say: “Aren’t you afraid of riding your motorcycle?”, “You are risking your life every time you go out there on that”, “Put always your helmet on”. This last sentence, I have heard it countless times and from different kinds of persons, even people that I do not know, but they are always worried and say: “An accident can happen any time, so better put it on every time”. I know that riding motorcycles bring at the same time a huge risk of having an accident or fall down just because of the road is not at the perfect conditions; hence, professional riders had the task to reduce fatal collisions and increase the safety of the motorcyclist. Safety wear and safety skills have been made to eliminate the chance of having a mishap. Here is where the controversy shows up: Making the riders to use a helmet vs teaching the riders about how to use the motorcycle and also clarify the drivers how to really share the road without problems. Education is the best way to avoid an accident if an event suddenly shows up, wearing a helmet is only one slice of a big cake of safety that should be up to you if you want to take only one...
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...Helmet Usage: Should It Be Required for Adults Gregory Boderck June 4th, 2011 Strayer University Abstract There is proof to present and statistical research to render that a motorcyclist wearing a helmet will not prevent head injuries or death in a serious crash. Using several studies provided by Charles Branas and Margaret Knudson, I will show that individual states with and without helmet laws show little difference in the effectiveness of a helmet in a crash. Many riders that I, myself have ridden with would rather have the choice of utilizing a helmet or not. Reasoning behind the abolishment of universal helmet law will be provided from a report filed by the National Transportation Safety Board, showing that helmets do not always protect adult riders in crashes. In some instances, helmets restrict a rider’s peripheral vision, as well as restrict their hearing depending on the style of the helmet used. Using a report written by Andreas Muller, PhD, I will stimulate the audience to believe that any type of helmet laws for adults will not reduce the number of deaths to motorcyclists. Helmet Usage: Should It Be Required for Adults Motorcycle helmet laws are not in effect in all of the fifty states. Over the last several decades motorcyclists’ deaths and severe injuries have increased significantly. There are many factors to account for the increase of injury and/or death to riders. Research has previously shown that a motorcyclists’ helmet will not protect an adult...
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...remove the motorcycle helmet law that had been in place for 20 plus years. This is been a hot topic that has had a lot of proposals, none of which seemed to be acceptable to Michigan lawmakers until the fate of Michigan motorcyclists was dangling in one man’s hand. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder made the difference when he voted yes to not enforcing motorcyclists to wear helmets. Since this decision there has been a substantial increase in fatalities of the motorcyclists. Michigan no longer requires motorcyclists to wear protective head gear. The new law basically states that if a rider chooses to not wear a helmet you are to have a $20,000 insurance policy that is supposed to cover your medical and other costs, in the event you are injured in an accident without a helmet on. It has been proven time and time again that $20, 000 will not cover even one day in a critical care unit at a local hospital. Michael Dabbs, president of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, said the $20,000 insurance coverage that riders are required to buy “would probably buy a part of the day in the ER and intensive care and not much more”. (Durkin, 2013) Motorcyclists feel that if they are required to wear a helmet it takes away their personal freedom. They feel it is a breach of their freedom and motorcyclists stand firm on this belief. Bikers think that if they choose not to wear a helmet, bikers should not have to. Bikers back up their passion about not wearing a helmet by stating that people...
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...Florida Motorcycle Helmet Law BCOM/275 Florida Motorcycle Helmet Law The history of motorcycle helmet laws in the United States is characterized by change. In 1967, to increase motorcycle helmet use, the federal government required the states to enact helmet use laws in order to qualify for certain federal safety programs and highway construction funds. By the early 1970s, almost all the states had universal motorcycle helmet laws. Michigan was the first state to repeal its law in 1968, beginning a pattern of repeal, reenactment, and amendment of motorcycle helmet laws. In 1976, states successfully lobbied Congress to stop the Department of Transportation from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws.(IIHS.com 2012) Now with that being said, Why the use of a helmet? Why is it we needs laws to govern free American riders that want to enjoy the freedom of the open road with no limitations? He or she must remember helmets are expensive and they take time to get used too. If you drop one according to the Department of Transportation you it needs to be replace as the safety rating has diminished, which becomes costlier over time, and where would he or she store them when you are out riding and want to stop someplace to everyone that’s an extra burden they can do without. How about the safety risks for wearing a helmet? The size, shape, and weight are all contributing factors that can lead to head and neck fatigue and the breaking of the neck in an accident...
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...Comp II – ENG 1213 Proposal for Bull Riders to Wear Helmets November 28, 2012 John Cox My proposal is should professional bull riders be required to wear protective helmets during sanctioned professional bull riding events. There are many different reasons why bull riders should be required to wear protective gear that could save their lives. Many of the riders still will not ever consider wearing any sort of protective gear a chance. There are many things to consider in when someone should be made to do something or not. It could be for money, pride or even physical well being. So when people say that you should not be required to wear protective gear when you are bull riding they are sorely mistaken. Like for instance in football players are required to wear helmets and protective padding and baseball players are required to wear helmets when they are batting. There was one study published that found bull riders were around ten times more likely to get hurt than a football or hockey players where likely to. Another concluded that head trauma accounts for about half of all serious bull riding injuries. To me though wouldn’t you say that a 2,000 pound bull stomping on your head is more dangerous than a man hitting you? Then you have the people who will argue with you saying that professional bull riders are so suppose to be made out like these tuff guys. It is beginning to change though as professional riders finally realize this is a business and what they earn and that...
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...Motorcycle helmet, why? It is known that the National Traffic Act requires the use of helmets when riding on motorcycles or mopeds. However, many people do not use it. The mandatory use seems logical given that both vehicles have a body that demonstrates no restraint in a collision or rollover, and that the mere loss of balance on the bike means hitting the head against the hard ground. And the head is not as hard as the floor. Why wear a helmet Helmets save lives by preventing or absorbing the shock and head injuries that could be devastating and disabling. Motorcyclists who do not wear helmets have much higher risk of death or permanent injury. The General Accounting Office of the United States (GAO) has been studied and proven that:...
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...increased football head injuries over the years have created a big problem that the NFL cannot avoid. They should consider the proposed solution which will help reduce head injuries in the league. The solution will help them save lawsuit money and show the public that the league is dedicated to their players’ well-being. Problem The problem with the NFL is that the league is taking minimal steps in...
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...mistake is made either from the motorcyclist, an operator of a car, bus or truck; ultimately a tragedy may occur if the vehicle operator of either is not paying attention. Congressmen and legislation are not providing the laws, urgency, and incentives to protect the lives of motorcyclist; Congressmen and legislation are contributing to a possible epidemic of “Headless Horsemen” by blindly allowing motorcyclists to have the option of not wearing a helmet while operating these high-speed vehicles. I am a fellow motorcyclist; I have had the pleasure of riding motorcycles since my early twenties (over 17 years). I spent this past year in Orlando, Florida, and coming from Washington, DC, the weather was quite different; it was sunny all the time, and I loved it. I often stated to myself “This is a perfect motorcycle day!” for most of the year, but within the same breath I would see a motorcyclist zoom past me, riding on average 75 miles per hour (mph), without a helmet. My feelings changed immediately from enjoying the beautiful day and wishing I was on my motorcycle to concern for the motorcyclist’s safety. Congressmen and legislation are not providing the laws, the sense of urgency, and incentives to protect the lives of motorcyclist; Congressmen and legislation are contributing to a possible epidemic of “Headless Horsemen”, by blindly allowing motorcyclists to have the option of not...
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...millions around the country. The Superbowl is typically the most watched event on American television every year. However, the NFL has recently come across increased intense scrutiny by former players and the media for their lack of action towards preventing concussions. The NFL is often compared to a gladiator arena, where players push through serious injuries and perform spectacular feats in front of a roaring and bloodthirsty crowd. Many people look at professional football players and forget that they are still human. They are not invulnerable to pain, and they are not immune to the side effects that come with playing such a violent game. Former players who played in the 1980’s and 1990’s played with rules that allowed dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits, and in a society that expected them to play through injuries, such as concussions. Players at particular positions are at an additional risk for concussions, with 18.2% of defensive backs suffering concussions sometime in their career (Pellman, Viano). Players that suffered repeat concussions were found to have a much greater risk of “increased neuronal vulnerability”, and that there is an increase in the likelihood of “recurrent concussions with each successive previous injury.” (Guskiewicz). Former players are experiencing increased rates of brain injuries such as depression, dementia, early-onset Alzheimer’s, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (Pellman, Viano). Over 2,000 former professional football players are now suing...
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