Surprise Message for Pennsylvania Lawmakers
Sometimes the news just leave me scratching my head:
Apparently, in 2003, Pennsylvania abolished the “helmet law” forcing motorcycle riders in the state to wear a helmet.
As a result, people are less inclined to wear helmets (first surprise), according to a recent study head injuries needing hospital care due to motorcycle accidents went up 87% compared to before the law fell (second surprise), leading to a rise in the resulting medical care costs for these injuries of 132%.
So, Pennsylvania gets rid of their helmet law, and now they act surprised that people leaving their bikes the direct way are more likely to suffer severe injuries? What the hell?
(Helmet picture CC by-nc-sa licensed by midnightglory on flickr)
I would have guessed there would only be a drop in the medical care costs.
Assuming that the consequence of such a law would be an explosion in numbers of fatal accidents, this is the only possible conclusion.
Ah, maybe that was the rationale behind dropping that law. More fatal accidents, less hospitalizations.
Helmet laws or not, people are just plain stupid to get on a bike without one. I’m always annoyed when I see people without helmets.
I’m not crazy about a lot of safety laws, but c’mon – seat belts and helmets OBVIOUSLY save lives!
Yeah I guess you’re right: Normally you shouldn’t need a law to tell you to wear a helmet on a bike, common sense would suffice. But apparently in the case of seat belts lawmakers weren’t *that* over-trustful in human rationality so they made a law to enforce it. Now, why they didn’t realize that bikers are not the sharpest knives in the drawer either, I have no clue.
thanks Fred, did i ever mention that I’m driving a 750cc Kawasaki.
Anyways, I’m wearing a helmet and a lot of protective gears and I’m not driving like some totally insane maniac. To be honest I’m even wearing a helmet on my bicycle.
Somehow you could point at Germany too. I mean it’s not that save/reasonable to be allowed to drive 155+ mph on the Autobahn. (although we have the same fatal accident per mile ratio then the us)