Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126397
... O ~ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TtoC ADMI ...... TIIt .. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAf"f"IC SAf"ETY ADMINISlltATION W4S+1INQTON . D .C. :10$90 J U .S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAf"f"IC SAf"ETY ADMINISTRATION WASMINGTON. D .C . lono ,.o- TWII 40""""'1&""""0- STATES WHICH HAVE REPEALED OR WEAKENED HELMET LAWS STATES WHICH HAVE RETAINED HELMET LAWS Dear Governor/Mr.: Dear Mr/Governor: During 1977 motorcycle fatalities increased 24 percent to a record high of 4,103. Most of those persons killed were young men under 30. Motorcycle deaths increased again last year by some five percent. During 1971 motorcycle fatal ities increased 24 percent t o a record high of 4,103. Most of those persons killed were young men under 3D. Motorcycle deaths increased again last year by some five percent. Your State is one of 26 which has repealed or weakened laws requiring use of safety helmets by notorcyc:lists within the past thret years. Because of our concern about the increase in head injuries resulting fran the decline in helmet use, we initiated studies of the effect of hellllet law repeal on hellllt't use and head injuries. Enclosed is the prel i1ninary report on those studies. ~he During the past three years 26 States have repealed or weakened laws requiring the use of safety helmets by IIlOtorcyc1ists. Because of our concern about the increase in head injuries resulting frOll. the decline i~ helmet use, we initiated studies of the effect of helmet law repe.l on helmet usage and head injuries. Enclosed is the preliminary report on those studies. The report shows clearly that motorcyc:le safety helmets are effective tn reducing the frequency and severity of hftd injuries. HN'J injuries to non-Ilel_ users were found to be twice as high as for helmet users. F.tal hnd injuries were found to be fran three to nine tillll!s Mther for non-helmet users as for hellllet users. The report .lso indie.tes that eompHallCe witll helmet laws 15 high, O'ier . 90 percent, ... ~1'.e after repeal or WNtening of laws Ilel..et use dec1i Ill!S by 40 to SO percent. The report shows clearly that motorcycle safety helmets are effective in reducing the frequency and severity of head injuries. Head injllf'ies to non-helmeted users were found to be twi'Ce as high as for helmet users. ' F.tal he.d injuries were found to be from three to ni. times ' hj gher for non-hell.t users as for hellllet users. The report .150 indicates that conpliance with helmet laws is high, oyer gO percent, lIIhile after repe.l or weakening of laws helmet use declines by 40 to SO percent. lie WIlt you to have thi s report so yOu can jUdge for yoursel f the Hfl!Sl!rtng illpOrt.nce rtf tile Ilellll!t and tile illlPlCt "that helilet us. laws 1i'iI1Ie on wearing rates. . .' . . This year efforts cay be Mdt In your State to repeal or weaken your he1M 1... lie dol you to halte til Is report so you can judge for yourself the 1ifesaving IIlportance of the helmet and the illlpact that a helilet .usage law lias on wearing r.tes, and .reque st that you support retention of 1OU" I.. we belie.e i~ b ~ of the IlOre significant el~s of you higllwa,y safety progr•• lie believe that a hell1tt law is one of the IIOSt illpOrtant e181enls af • Stete's higtrwa,y safety For that reeson w urge you to suppof't . ~option of a fully effectf.ve MIllet lew. - If your s.t.te h 5 nOt alrelcly done 50-, you II1gllt wi$ll to consider initiating an iil-clepttl study of heJ..et effectl_ss 1ike those .cited in the report. Such a study would clearly deIlonstrate the eco_ftc: • ~ social value of retaining your helmet l.w. If your State ltas not ,"ready done so, you lIligllt wi$II to consider tniti.ting In in depth stud)' of hellllet effectiveness Hlte tltose cited in tile r~ • . Suc:h> a study would elear~y dllllOftstrate tile eeonClllfc and SOC"t.l val ue of increased 'Ievels of helllll!t use• Please let me know If we lIlay provide you with additional inforlll/ltion regarding the effectiveness of safety helmets. Please let IIll! t _ if we MY provide you with lCIditional infonnation regarding the effect iveness of safety helllll!ts. progr.. Sincerely, ~ Sincerely, Joan Claybrook Joan Claybrook Enclosure TABLE 1 . Injury severity for helmeted and unhelmeted riders Total injuries Accidents (# Riders) Unknown Fatal AI~ - - Serious Severe Critical Al5-5 ~ AJS.3 Abbreviated Injury Scale Moderate Al5-2 Minor Al5-1 Total 1,258 1,734 8 14 63 121 270 15 19 44 97 255 454 2,652 3,536 15 27 58 160 376 724 3,910 5,270 Helmet Without Helmet 355 0 536 Total 891 , TABLE 2 • Head and neck injury severity for helmeted and unhelmeted riders Head and neck injuries Accidents (# Riders) Helmet Without Helmet Total 14 Unknown Fatal AlS6 Critical Serious Severe AISS AlS4 Al5-3 Abbreviated Injury Scale Moderate Minor AI5-1 Total Al5-2 0 5 7 30 135 178 - 355 0 , 536 1 15 22 17 67 90 538 750 891 1 16 22 22 74 120 673 928 system leaks and spills occurred in over 60 percent of the motorcycles. yet fire occurrence was quite low (less than 2 percent). One- third of the total accidents and one-half of the fatal accidents involved motorcycles with an engine size of 750 cubit centimeters or larger. • AMA comments on NHTSA's desire to reinstate mandatory helmet laws In an early January news conference and press release. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) Administrator Joan Claybrook has made her strongest statements yet on the subject of motorcycle safety and mandatory helmet laws. Her claim is that " lately (moto rcycling) has been made even more dangerous by the repeal in many states of laws which require motorcyclists to wear helmets." This conclusion was drawn from three recent NHl'SA sources: studies conducted in four repeal states (Kansas. Colorado. South Dakota. and Oklahoma); an incomplete study of accident cause factors and countermeasures in southern California; and fatal accident data in the Fatal Accident Reporting System file of the Administration (FARSI. Different conclusions have been reached by the American Motorcyclist Association. whose examination of the (Continued to page 37)