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Region 11




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BULLET POINTS FOR ADULT CHOICE ON THE HELMET LAW ISSUE
Misconceptions about Helmet Law Repeal


Registered Motorcycles in Michigan
Q.) How many registered motorcycles are there in Michigan?
A.) According to the Michigan Dept. of Transportation, there are approximately 200,000 as of 2004.

Mandatory Helmet Law vs. Adult Choice States
Q.) How many states have repealed their mandatory helmet law?
A.) According to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, there are 27 state legislatures that have opted for adult choice for riders, usually 18 years or older, and another 3 that have no helmet law for a total of 30 states. The most recent state to modify their mandatory helmet law was Pennsylvania in 2003.

Insurance Rates
Q.) If a state repeals its mandatory helmet law, will my insurance rates go up?
A.) According to the American Motorcyclist Association and insurance industry spokesmen, there have been no insurance companies who have increased their rates because that state has repealed their mandatory helmet law. It should also be noted that there has been no insurance company that has DECREASED their rates when their state reinstated a mandatory helmet law.

Head Injuries with Adult Choice
Q.) Is there a 40% increase in head injuries among non-helmeted riders when a state repeals their helmet law?
A.) According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation it was determined that, in fatal motorcycle accidents there, 28-29% of fatalities were from head injuries. The percentages were the same whether the victims were WEARING HELMETS OR NOT. Specifically, in fatal motorcycle accidents where the victim WAS wearing a helmet, 29.4% of those fatalities were from head injuries. By comparison, in fatal cycle accidents where the victim WAS NOT wearing a helmet, 28.9% of the victims died of head injuries. The Governor initiated a requirement to investigate all motorcycle accidents after Wisconsin modified their helmet law in 1978. This study was supposed to "prove" whether or not helmets made a substantial difference in fatalities of helmeted riders versus non-helmeted riders. Wisconsin still allows adults their "choice" on the helmet issue.

Motorcycle Fatality Rates after Modifying Mandatory Helmet Laws for Adult Choice
Q.) Will fatality rates (fatalities per 100 accidents) increase if we modify Michigan's helmet law for Adult Choice?
A.) Anti-repeal advocates claim that there is a 25-40% increase in fatality rates when a state repeals their helmet law. If that were the case than fatality rates should be 25-40% lower in states that maintain their law. According to NHTSA, fatality rates over the last 25 years have been virtually the same for freedom of choice states versus mandatory helmet law states. Motorcycle fatalities overall have DECLINED by almost 60% since 1985. Take in to account that 30 states had opted for adult choice. This serves to reinforce the fact that mandatory helmet laws have done nothing to reduce accidents or produce a safer motorcycle rider.

Louisiana's Fatality Rate Experience with the Reenactment of a Helmet Law. A Classic Misrepresentation of the Facts
Q.) Did Louisiana have a 30% reduction in fatalities when it reenacted a mandatory helmet law in 1982 as compared with fatalities from 76 - 81?
A.) This is a classic "misrepresentation" of the facts. After Louisiana reinstated a mandatory helmet law in 1982, the NUMBER of fatalities decreased ONLY because of a substantial DECREASE in the number of registered motorcyclists. The fatality rate (fatalities per 100 accidents) actually went UP, which is contrary to what is implied by the opponents of an adult choice option.
Yes, fatality rates for motorcyclists DID increase from 1976 through 1981 in states that modified their mandatory helmet laws. What the anti-choice folks never mention is the fact that fatality rates actually rose slightly HIGHER during the same time period in states that still maintained a mandatory helmet law when compared to "repeal" states. There was also a corresponding increase in fatality rates among drivers of compact vehicles and light trucks. These increases were due to the increased usage of economical transportation by new and inexperienced riders and drivers during the "energy crisis". This can be easily verified through NHTSA. It should be noted that approximately 70-85% of all motorcycle fatalities occurs among NEW riders (less than one year of riding experience) and that with any significant increase in motorcycle registrations comes a corresponding increase in fatalities.

Repeal and Public Burden
Q.) Doesn't the general public pay for injured motorcyclists if we repeal the helmet law?
A.) Motorcyclists are just as likely to be privately insured as any other road user. As a matter of fact, motorcyclists are slightly LESS dependent upon public funds to pay their hospital bills than the general public. A Harborview Medical Center study reported that 63.4% of the injured motorcyclists in the trauma center relied on public funds while 67% of the general patient population relied on public dollars during the same time period. The 63.4% figure is selectively used by pro helmet law advocates to prove the effectiveness of helmet laws while ignoring the 67% figure. A study by the University of North Carolina's Highway Safety Research Center reported that 49.5% of injured motorcyclists had their medical costs covered by insurance, while 50.4% of the other road trauma victims were similarly insured. This analysis refutes any suggestions that motorcyclists disproportionately rely on public health-care funds to pay for their hospitalization. Take into account that less than 6/10ths of one percent of crash-involved vehicles are motorcycles, a very small number to begin with.

Economic Impact of Motorcycling on Michigan Tourism
Q.) What is the potential economic impact of motorcycling on tourism and the economy in Michigan?
A.) The economic value of motorcycling in the U.S. is over 6 billion dollars a year. Those states that have enacted mandatory helmet laws have experienced a decrease in tourism and dollars from motorcyclists. There are over 770,000 registered motorcycles in the states surrounding Michigan. With every state surrounding Michigan allowing the adult rider a choice on the helmet issue, millions of tourism dollars are lost due to Michigan's mandatory helmet law. In a survey distributed to motorcyclists throughout the states surrounding Michigan, over 95% of out of state riders surveyed indicated that they do not travel in Michigan due to our mandatory helmet law and that they would if the law was changed. In the three year period following the modification of Florida's mandatory helmet law, that state realized a 1.22 billion dollars economic increase from motorcycle sales alone, not including the increase in tourism dollars. A recent independent economic impact study concluded that Michigan should benefit with an estimated influx of 1.15 billion dollars to its economy through increased motorcycle sales activity and increased tourism.

Rider Profile
Q.) Who is the typical motorcycle rider?
A.) The typical motorcycle rider is 36.5 years old, married, college-educated, and earns more than $35,000 per year ($57,000 if they are a member of the American Motorcyclist Association and over $80,000 if you ride a Harley-Davidson). Along with being insured to operate the vehicles they ride or drive, a motorcyclist obviously pays taxes and they are insured, too! There are 30 million motorcyclists nationwide.

The Major Cause of Death in Motorcycle Accidents
Q.) Isn't head injury the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents?
A.) The answer is simply, NO. According to nationally recognized accident investigator and motorcycle case specialist, the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents is multiple blunt trauma injuries specifically to the torso rather than the head. To complicate the matter, a rider may have three injuries, which may have been fatal, one to the head and two to the torso. In many jurisdictions, accident reports require that only one injury, the head injury, be indicated. It should be noted that the Automobile Association of America (AAA) indeed states that head injury is the major cause of death in motorcycle accidents (not true). It should also be noted that AAA refuses to insure motorcycles for many of its members and when they DO insure motorcycles, it is at a rate that is approximately 50-60% higher than the rates from other insurance companies for comparable coverage.