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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsInjuries soar after Michigan stops requiring motorcycle helmets
In the three years after Michigan repealed a mandatory motorcycle helmet law, deaths and head injuries among bikers rose sharply, according to a recent study.
Deaths at the scene of the crash more than quadrupled, while deaths in the hospital tripled for motorcyclists. Head injuries have increased overall, and more of them are severe, the researchers report in the American Journal of Surgery.
Senior author Dr. Carlos Rodriguez decided to do the study after noticing an abrupt change in the trauma unit at Spectrum Health Hospital in Grand Rapids, where he works.
The first week after the law was repealed in April 2012, he told Reuters Health, "I just could not help but notice the number of patients that had been in motorcycle crashes with no helmet on, which was enormously different in number and volume than we had experienced the weekend before."
more
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/01/08/injuries-soar-after-michigan-stops-requiring-motorcycle-helmets.html
elleng
(131,292 posts)hfojvt
(37,573 posts)I notice the OP's article does NOT link to the study, and includes a whole lot of percentages and not a lot of numbers.
"rose sharply"
like from 120 to 130?
an 8% increase!!! The sky is falling. The sky is falling.
At least the article I found includes some numbers, even if it is from Free Republic
"In 2014, 50 motorcyclists died while wearing helmets, 48 died without helmets and it's unknown if the nine other motorcyclists who died were wearing helmets, according to the state's data.
There were also more injuries reported in 2014 for those wearing helmets (1,559) compared to those not wearing helmets (633). For 99 of those injured, helmet use is unknown."
Of course I am just a lunatic who rides a bicycle almost every day without wearing a helmet, and at night without wearing a reflective vest too. Doubtless some would like to increase the power of the police so they could harass me for my choices.
TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)there are more organ donors.
/dark humor
GusBob
(7,286 posts)Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)Head trauma from motorcycle accidents sans helmets wind up costing the taxpayers over a million dollars per injury on average.
TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)they were organ donors to us.
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)too stupid to put their helmets on and the rest of us pay for it.
GummyBearz
(2,931 posts)If they vote for universal health care it would be great. If they vote that they don't mind paying millions due to non-helmet wearing motorcyclists, then so be it.
Kaleva
(36,384 posts)Control-Z
(15,682 posts)Gawd. How can people be so stupid?
SwankyXomb
(2,030 posts)GummyBearz
(2,931 posts)We need an authoritarian with absolute power to micro manage every single American's life. It should all be done with a single remote control that is linked to a chip implanted in every American's brain. Problems all solved
BarbaRosa
(2,685 posts)I never felt comfortable without a helmet, and I'm here to say this because of a helmet.
safeinOhio
(32,746 posts)possibly a 100 times more lives would be saved if there was the same requirement autos. I think there were almost 1,000 deaths in auto accidents, many of them were from head injuries.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)have had that result already
Vehicle deaths are down. way, way down
now if we could get people to stop driving while using a cell phone... becuase that has seen a slight uptick.
safeinOhio
(32,746 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)so your cost benefit between lower vision due to helmets, and spinal injuries due to a higher load to the C-Spine versus the benefit are not there.
Now if teens stop texting while driving... for that matter, everybody else as well.
safeinOhio
(32,746 posts)but more people die of head trauma in car accidents than motorcycle accidents, therefore mandatory helmets for all passengers in cars would no doubt save more lives. They are now developing air bags for motorcycles.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)so we will not have a conversation here, but truly... helmets in cars would increase disability and deaths. I know some motorcycle riders make this point, and it is not a good one.
tblue37
(65,524 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)tblue37
(65,524 posts)Odin2005
(53,521 posts)It's actually below the rate for 20-34-year olds.
NutmegYankee
(16,204 posts)The seat belts and air bags keep the occupant from smashing into the panels/windshield and keep them in place to avoid ejection. Helmets would restrict visibility, increasing the risk of collisions and would increase whiplash injuries severely.
The key reason for head trauma resulting in death is either not being belted in the first place or the accident was beyond the ability of the vehicle frame to protect the driver. If you smash into a tree at 70 MPH, you probably won't survive the G-forces alone.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)but some allow their citizens to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.
Logical
(22,457 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)The motorcyclist hadn't been wearing a helmet.
He didn't look so good.
Logical
(22,457 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)My friends and I did what we could before the ambulance arrived. No cell phones in those days, so we ran in a nearby store to call the ambulance.
He was very badly off. I still remember every single thing about him. Young, longish blond hair, wearing overalls, wisp of a beard and mustache. It was the mid-70s, and he was kind of left-over hippie-ish. Blood coming from his ear. A tear in the overalls on his thigh, with a bad gash under it. He was unconscious. I remember one of the wheels on his bike was still spinning.
I never found out what happened to him, but I doubt he made it.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)I doubt it either. Blood from ear is a really bad sign.
We used to have a very bad joke about those crashes... dark, dark, dark, And I will leave it at that
Logical
(22,457 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)I had a bunch of guy friends with bikes. I rode with them frequently.
I stopped after that.
One of them ended up in a bad wreck himself; he lived, but broke just about everything breakable. Except his head, thanks to the fact he WAS wearing a helmet.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)Dim class of folks.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)that every state has seat belt laws.
I still cannot believe that is constitutional.
or that the voters put up with it.
But one of Obama's first acts, it seems, was to extort states into passing primary seat belt laws.
Certainly not the kind of change I was hoping for.
dhol82
(9,353 posts)Seems like such a stupid thing. Why would they make a law removing helmets?
Can't even see this as an insurance industry thing.
It's just weird.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)I'm as baffled as you are.
LisaL
(44,980 posts)Other than that I can't come up with a single good reason.
babylonsister
(171,106 posts)I think bikers want the option and maybe fought for that right.
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Some negative points about helmets.
On a hot summer day, temperatures can reach about 125f in a helmet.
A helmet obscures peripheral vision.
A full helmet dampens sounds of another vehicle approaching from behind on the side.
Earlier helmets, back in the '70s had a tendency to skid for about 1/2 second, before grabbing the pavement and snapping the riders neck.
A helmet can create a false sense of security, where a rider feels more protected than he really is.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Even modern vented helmet can get dangerously hot in the summer, so I don't ride the bike when it's too hot.
I'd rather not ride than ride without a helmet.
EX500rider
(10,885 posts)If anything, the opposite is true. Some helmets have actually been proven to help block out distracting wind noise, which could make it easier to pick up important traffic sounds, such as sirens or passing cars. At the very least, wearing a helmet won't make it any harder to hear your surroundings.
Myth: helmets don't allow safe peripheral vision
Actually, all DOT-compliant helmets are required to provide at least 210-degree vision. This is more than enough to account for normal peripheral vision, which is only about 180 degrees. In other words, everything you normally see will still be visible when you slap on your dome.
Myth: helmets make you less careful
On the contrary, according to some studies, it's the riders wearing the most gear (helmets included) who tend to drive the safest. While this might seem counterintuitive, it only makes sense that the same cautious impulses leading some riders to dress safely would extend to their actual riding habits, too. At any rate, there is no evidence to show that helmeted riders behave more recklessly than exposed ones.
https://www.esurance.com/info/motorcycle/6-myths-about-helmets
https://tntrafficsafety.org/sites/default/files/motorcyclehelmets1.pdf
starroute
(12,977 posts)Jennifer Granholm had twice vetoed a similar law.
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2012/04/17/243752.htm
A decades-long fight to eliminate Michigans helmet law roared into the victory lane on April 13 when Gov. Rick Snyder announced he signed the repeal into law.
The repeal took effect immediately, making Michigan the 31st state to give adult riders a choice over whether they want to wear protective headgear, a move welcomed by supporters who say the change was long overdue after 46 years. They say the change will draw more motorcycle riders to Michigan and increase tourism revenue.
But insurance companies and safety advocates warned it will raise other motorists insurance premiums and lead to more motorcycle fatalities and injuries. A Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning analysis estimated that the laws repeal will result in 30 additional fatalities, 127 more incapacitating injuries and $129 million in additional economic costs. . . .
Vince Consiglio, president of American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Michigan, called the law a useless holdover from bygone days. Helmet laws have done nothing to improve safety or reduce fatalities or the cost of insurance, Consiglio said in a statement. I want to extend our gratitude to all the legislative officials and Governor Rick Snyder, who courageously supported freedom in the face of an onslaught of baseless and emotional arguments perpetuated by our opponents.
TubbersUK
(1,439 posts)how this man feels in light of this study?
Vince Consiglio, president of American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Michigan, called the law a useless holdover from bygone days. Helmet laws have done nothing to improve safety or reduce fatalities or the cost of insurance, Consiglio said in a statement. I want to extend our gratitude to all the legislative officials and Governor Rick Snyder, who courageously supported freedom in the face of an onslaught of baseless and emotional arguments perpetuated by our opponents.
Staph
(6,256 posts)the state's Republican governor, state Senate and state House of Representatives?
The problem is, helmet laws have done nothing to improve safety or reduce fatalities or the cost of insurance, said Vince Consiglio, President of ABATE of Michigan. Motorcycle accidents are a very small percentage of accidents overall. Data from other states demonstrate that states that remove mandatory helmet laws do not see an increase in insurance premiums, and states that institute helmet laws do not see a corresponding decrease in insurance rates. Its never happened. In addition, the leading insurance lobbyist was videotaped testifying before a senate committee last session saying that residents in Michigan will NOT see any rate increase as a result of the passage of this bill. This is yet another reason that we garnered such a large support base from the Michigan legislature.
http://www.abateofmichigan.org/Michigan'sHelmetChoiceLaw.htm
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)was that cops giving chase to a motorcyclist merely for not wearing a helmet was much more likely to end in an accident.
Pathwalker
(6,600 posts)and one of my husband's friends(who lobbied for it) died as a result of not wearing his helmet. He survived the first accident, but not the second one.
Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)I bought a motorcycle when I was 18. I also bought a nice helmet, full coverage. The thing is, it was hot on some summer days. I rode around town without a helmet, sometimes. (My parents thought I wore it all the time.) I was lucky. I sold the bike nine years later and have not owned one since. My brother has a Harley and never rides without a helmet.
TexasProgresive
(12,164 posts)then one should:
1. sign an affidavit taking full responsibility in the case of ones personal injury.
2. carry special injury insurance that would cover medical treatment and lifelong disablity.
3. it should be clear that the public (re. Federal, state, county or city) bears no responsibility for a person injured while riding without a helmet.
dhol82
(9,353 posts)Take responsibility for your stupidity.
Yup.
And no give backs. You make your choice, you live with what happens.
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,601 posts)and watch a motorcycle safety film showing lots of ER footage and before and after images of helmetless motorcycle accident victims.
Then, if they want to ride bare-headed, more power to them. It's their right to choose.
FWIW, I used to ride a motorcycle; I used a helmet. I never felt I was being denied my freedom by doing so. It was just common sense.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,375 posts)he will still be hauled to the emergency room, and no expense will be spared to help him survive. And the rest of us pay.
If he survives, with enough intellect intact so he can understand, then he might be given a ticket.
All of this can be solved, either by single-payer health care, or by implementing the ObamaCare Death Panels.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)They should be held to the same standard. I've been riding motorcycles for almost 40 years and a completely overwhelming majority of accidents my acquaintances have been involved in have been the fault of inattentive drivers.
I have never been on the asphalt and it's only because I KNOW most motorists are on autopilot and I ride accordingly.
meaculpa2011
(918 posts)and then run me off the road.
Texting, speeding, reckless driving... AND... I was riding south in I-95 near Fort Lauderdale a few months ago and sensed a car coming up behind me. When I looked in my mirror I saw a young lady holding the cell phone in one hand while applying mascara (using her rear-view mirror) with the other. This was at 60mph!
She gave me the horn for going too slow (in the middle lane) and then scooted around me until she got within six inches of another car, still talking and applying makeup.
What does it take to get a reckless driving citation?
I've been riding since 1968 and have never gone out without a helmet.
Control-Z
(15,682 posts)Gawd. How can people be so stupid?
stone space
(6,498 posts)TubbersUK
(1,439 posts)If he hadn't been wearing a helmet he'd now be dead or permanently disabled.
CanonRay
(14,132 posts)Just ask anyone in Flint.
gvstn
(2,805 posts)But as someone upthread said, with mandatory bicycle helmets, mandatory airbags, seatbelt laws and I believe some require helmets for skateboarders and those razor scooters--it seems like a helmetless motorcycle rider shouldn't even be up for discussion.
Note: My brother has always owned a motorcycle and my mother hated it everyday of her life. So I am prejudiced against them in general. I actually think when you see a "scary" group of motorcycle riders it is a good thing because you are aware of them and can watch out for their safety and they are more disciplined than many solo drivers.
littlewolf
(3,813 posts)I have ridden for years
always had a helmet on - always.
saved a lot of my friends lives.
no excuses for the irresponsibility... I would be dead w/out the helmet I wore... luckily
i still can walk. time for people to realize we're all in this together
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)Those of us on four wheels have to stop at the red signs and lights, stay between the lines, go somewhere close to the speed limit and signal our intention to turn or change lanes. I'm surprised my side mirror hasn't already had an altercation with a brake lever.
That said I think these nanny state protect-you-from-yourself laws are bullshit. If there is such a compelling interest in people not getting hurt, we should outlaw skiing and DIY home repairs.
In the particular case of helmet laws I think there is law-enforcement-tool component because some people who ride motorcycles are kind of "unsavory" so we need a good reason to screw with all of them.
Seatbelt laws are just another reason to pull you over, and I loath the authoritarian approach to safety. I don't wear a seat belt (and I've worn them long before there were laws, before they were even standard equipment) not because the CHP puts up some corny rhyme, "Clickit or Ticket", no, I wear it because I don't want to take a trip through the windshield.
And from another perspective, do we really want to be fucking with evolution this much?
catbyte
(34,514 posts)Yallow
(1,926 posts)I went to visit him at the hospital one night. He was in a ward with 7 people that appeared to be vegetables to me, hooked up to machines. He told me they were all motorcycle accidents.
Kinda like the car I saw at the tow company auction once. The front was pushed in halfway through where the engine was. The steering wheel was sheared off by the drivers chest and there was a section of the windshield pushed out 6" where the driver's face went.
I never went over a block, or 5 mph without seat belts again.
I mean it.
I can still see that face print in the windshield in my mind after 25 years.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)Ghost in the Machine
(14,912 posts)spanone
(135,920 posts)i visit indiana & see these folks on motorcycles with short pants and no helmets.....yikes...
the law says you have to wear a helmet if you're 17 or younger...cause everyone knows
no one over 17 ever has ever experienced head trauma from a motorcycle accident.
doc03
(35,431 posts)to die without a helmet.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)Dain bramage does that.
TipTok
(2,474 posts)I regret any taxpayer cost and wasted doctors time though...
Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)Yeah, and you can't violate Isaac Newton's laws of physics either:
Said one staunch Republican against government interference. Want to guess how she died?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Chenoweth-Hage
You can't beat inertia.
dumbcat
(2,120 posts)EX500rider
(10,885 posts)I guess we should all just be wrapped in bubble wrap and sit in front of the TV until we die..
dumbcat
(2,120 posts)Just like riding motorcycles without helmets. There ought to be a law preventing that, so taxpayers don't have to pick up the medical costs.
At least that's what I keep hearing.
EX500rider
(10,885 posts)...with a helmet on of course!
(edit..woops, just looked at weather radar...never mind...lol)
Vinca
(50,323 posts)Hong Kong Cavalier
(4,573 posts)sorefeet
(1,241 posts)He went to a biker party in Red Lodge, hung around all day drinking casually. He was going to ride back to the big city with a couple of friends but had to go to the bathroom or something and said he would catch up. Short story he didn't show up for work Monday with the guys he was riding with. When he didn't show up Tuesday they called authorities. After a short search of the route he took home they found him 500 yards off the pavement. He tried to ride it out, but. I don't know about the autopsy but he could have laid out there for a couple of days before he died or he died quick. He never wore a helmet, was drinking but I don't know how much and he smoked a fatty before heading back. 58 years old. I quit riding a long time ago.