Safety programs, not mandates, work best
June 25, 2012
The following originally appeared in the June 23 edition of the Milwaukee-
Wisconsin Journal Sentinel:
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claimed
that annual cost savings in states with universal motorcycle helmet laws were
nearly four times greater than in states without universal helmet laws.
Unfortunately, the CDC conclusions were not based on independently sourced
figures but rather data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(a longtime proponent of universal helmet laws), including a discredited 2010
report on the economic costs saved by motorcycle helmet use.
For many years, my organization has strongly encouraged the voluntary use by
adult riders of helmets certified by their manufacturers to meet the U.S.
Department of Transportation standard as part of a comprehensive motorcycle
safety program to help reduce injuries and fatalities in the event of a
motorcycle crash.
However, helmet mandates are not the solution because helmets do not prevent
crashes. The American Motorcyclist Association believes that comprehensive
motorcycle safety programs must promote strategies that are designed to prevent
motorcycle crashes from occurring in the first place.
Helmet mandates have unintended consequences: Tragically, the enforcement of
mandates siphons funds from effective crash prevention programs.
The efficacy of rider education has been documented by research, including
the landmark "Hurt Study" (1981). Even NHTSA has acknowledged this in its 2005
report, "Promising Practices in Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing."
Motorist awareness programs have become an increasingly valuable strategy in
reducing motorcycle crashes. One of the most frequent causes of motorcycle
accidents is the violation of motorcyclists' right of way by other drivers. As
traffic density and the frequency of distracted vehicle operation have
increased, motorcyclists benefit when drivers are regularly reminded to watch
for motorcyclists. Many states do not dedicate enough funding for these kinds of
programs.
Recent reports calling for helmet mandates have failed to note that the rate
of motorcycle fatalities has been decreasing. NHTSA reported in October 2011
that the motorcycle fatality rate from 2000-'09 declined 15.59% per 100,000
registered vehicles and 22.48% per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
The wisdom of helmet mandates is questionable. The Governor's Highway Safety
Association reported in May 2012 that 11 states that do not have universal
helmet requirements reported fewer motorcycle fatalities in 2011, and seven
states that have universal helmet laws reported greater fatalities in 2011.
Clearly, there is a need for additional research to better understand the
causes of crashes, which is why the AMA supports the comprehensive motorcycle
crash causation study underway at Oklahoma State University. Scheduled for
completion in 2014, the study is being conducted under a $2.8 million Federal
Highway Administration grant approved by Congress, along with more than $125,000
committed by the AMA and a total of $750,000 from six state safety programs,
including Wisconsin.
In closing, we'd like to thank U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who for
years has taken on powerful anti-motorcycling interest groups and worked to
support the motorcycling lifestyle.
