Are Motorcycle Helmet Laws Effective? What You Need to Know?

Nowadays motorcycle crashes are very anxious a matter for the public health concern. The number of crashes increased to a great extent.

In 2010, 4502 drivers faced death for motorcycle related crashes. Crashes increased up to 55% from the year 2000 to 2010, this is the view of CDC.

Public carry the costs in most cases. They lost all balances for medical spending, increased insurance premiums and tax revenue.

Many studies have got that the death and injury are more among the non- helmeted drivers than the helmeted drivers.

Motorcycle helmet effectiveness

They are very effective. Though you wear a helmet, there is a possibility of death. Yes, you may get a new life receiving serious injuries though there is a helmet in your head. There are more possibilities of death without wearing a helmet.

Besides we have many reports that racers rarely die or receive injury on the race tracks. The reason is that they use a helmet, not for they are superman. More cause of that everyone is going in the same direction at the same time.

Moreover, the track officials take away many of the dangerous items from the track lines that the racers may run into. Surely you do not get the same luxury on the street. You have to do more practice, awareness, skill and lastly safety gear if the first 3 fail you.

Here you will see some pictures of helmets left by damages. The caption indicates that the riders are still alive. The injuries we get here are left by the accidents for the riders who do not use a helmet at the time or riding a bike.

Motorcycle helmet safety facts

The names of motorcycle safety measures are well training, motorcycle operator licensing, campaigns, educational programs, traffic laws enforcement and so on.

More emphasis must be given on education for both car drivers and motorcycle riders. Besides, outreaching attempts and education often focus on alcohol. At last, there is no evidence that all mentioned measures have reduced the number of deaths or crashes.

Some recent studies showed that mechanical improvements like Anti-lock brakes might lessen the harshness of crashes; it can affect deaths and injuries.

Some other motorcycle safety is reducing cultural support for riders group alcohol use, improving road constructions, developing motorcycle visibility through reflective and bright colors and improving clothing. Again I like to say there is no real proof that these measures can reduce the number of deaths or crashes.

Some traffic departments claimed that they are successful to identify alcohol-impaired riders, though evaluation data is lacking. There is no specific data, and remaining data is missing, enforcement strategies remain that have established effectual for lessening crashes and impaired driving.

The only security measure which has been proven and reached to the riders in a satisfactory state is universal motorcycle helmet law. This is the only measure which has proven to develop motorcycle safety.

What is the law of motorcycle helmet? Are Motorcycle Helmet Laws Effective?

Only fifty percent motorcyclists use a helmet; this is the normal picture of using the helmet. If the law is implemented well, 100% motorcyclists must use a helmet.

There are many places in the world where the helmet is a must. They should use it as a mandatory.

The benefit of using a helmet is that it keeps the users’ safe especially when they move on the roads.

They have to face so many obstacles at the time of riding. It is a helmet that can save someone from serious injuries.

In the countries there remain many laws. But all the people do not know about it or sometimes do not like to follow it strictly.

They say that they do not like to abide by the laws as they consider the rules are not very effective. Do they need to be confirming what is the best?

Some countries in the world are changing laws constantly according to the demand of the times. People do not like to follow all rules.

So some laws remain unchanged over time. But it is vivid that there are some universal using of helmet’s laws. Motorcyclists should use it even the passengers also need to use it at the time of riding.

What is the story of helmet use laws in the United States?

History said that before 1967, only three states use laws to use a motorcycle. In 1967, only some federal states applied laws to use the helmet as a must to qualify few federal safety scheme and highway building funds.

From 1967 to 1969 only 37 states enacted helmet applies laws. By 1967, all motorcyclists must use a motorcycle as a must for ensuring safety.

As the Transport Department in 1976 gave financial penalties for not wearing helmets, Congress responded to state pressure for revoking the department’s authority to enter penalties for have no compliance.

From the year 1976 to the year 1978, nineteen states loosen the helmets using laws for the young riders form they aged up to 18. 7 states applied laws to use the helmet as a must for every rider.

In the 1980s and to the early of 1990s, some states restricted using helmets for all riders. In 1991 Congress passed a law to use helmet by Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act.

States use laws to ensure safety for all the riders, but in October 1993, up the 3% of federal highway allotment redirected to use the helmet for safety programs.

Four years after establishing incentives, Congress reversed it again. It was 1995, and in the fall, Congress aging sanctioned laws without using a helmet, paved the way for repeal helmet’s laws to use it as compulsory.

22 states passed laws covering helmets those who are under eighteen. Colorado, Lowa, and Illinois do not like to apply laws to use a helmet.

Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws

Motorcycle helmets are very essential to save the riders’ head at the time of riding on it. It is the study of the helmets that it reduces from fatalities from 22 to 42 percent and lessens brain injury from 41 to 69 percent. ([Cummings et al., 2006]; [Coben, Steiner, and Miller, 2007]; [Deutermann, 2004]; [NHTSA, 2003c];  [Liu et al., 2008 [NHTSA, 2006c]).

A Cochrane Collaboration review indicates that sixty studies end up that the possible reduction is to the high end of the mentioned above, and the highest studies imply that the helmet was about forty-two percent reduces the possibility of death in a crash and 69% of head injuries in a crash.

The study also indicates that there is less proof to confirm the effect on facial or neck injury, the result is different types of FMVSS.

218 helmets on the fatal outcome. Other does not believe that there is no risk of neck injury. ([NHTSA and Motorcycle Safety Foundation, 2000]; [I. Potts, Garets, etc. al, 2008], Strategy E1; [Ulmer and Preusser 2003]). (UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 5-7)

State Universal Motorcycle Helmet- laws need to apply strictly to use helmets. DOT- the rate of using helmets increased 63% in 2008 and 67% in 2009.

The use of noncompliant helmets is decreasing for the 2nd year in a row. Though, DOT complaint using of helmets increased in the states with or without universal helmet laws.

The use of helmet remains much higher in the states with applying universal laws. Complaint use of helmet increased up to 86% in 2009 with using universal laws which cover up all riders and 55% states with no laws for the young riders.

Studies show that the universal laws observed ninety percent or the laws would be effective, compared 50% or lower prior the law.

The law saw the opposite result as the rates dropped from 90 to 50% Reenactment of the universal law of Louisiana.

It inspires the riders to use helmets. They understand that helmet saves them from the crashes. The percentage was 42 before enforcing the laws.

After enacting the law, it reaches to 87% among the riders. ([Gilbert et al., 2008]). (UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 5-7)

Studies found that the states applied universal laws to use a helmet. The number of helmets users increased rapidly after the laws have been implemented up to ninety percent.

It was fifty percent or below it before the law was enacted. States which repealed the universal laws found the opposite result as the rates drop from ninety to fifty percent. ([Kyrychenko and McCartt, 2006]; [Hedlund, Preusser, and Ulmer, 2000], Section V; [Preusser, and Ulmer 2003], Sections V and IV [and Weiss and Mertz, 2008]).

The number of users increased as thinking of crashes; From forty-two percent prior reenactment to eighty-seven percent following.

Effectiveness – Are Motorcycle Helmet Laws Effective

The US General Office reviewed forty-six methodologically that sound study of State helmet laws published before the year 1990. GAO came to the end that motorcycle riders fatality rates are twenty to forty percent lower with universal laws.  [Ulmer and Preusser, 2003], (GAO, 1991; Section II).

The result is confirmed since 1990. (Cummings et al., 2006; [Richardson, D. Houston and 2008]; (UNC Highway Safety Research Center, 2011, p. 5-8) [McCartt, and Kyrychenko 2006]; [Ulmer and Preusser, 2003] Morris, 2006; [Ulmer and Northrup, 2005];, Section II).

Some states applied laws only for the young riders. Helmet is a must in these countries. Though no comprehensive law does not translate into a meaningful reduction of young riders fatalities.

A reduction of using a helmet is seen among all ages for partial coverage laws compared with no law by Richardson and D. Houston, in 2008.

The effect is less than the universal coverage. Florida thought that the need all riders twenty-one and older wear helmets, only eighty percent increased in motorcyclist fatalities.

The fatalities are seen among riders fewer than twenty-one who are covered by helmet law. Treatments and hospital admission costs increased following the rules of helmet laws. (Derrick and Faucher, 2009; GAO, 1991). (UNC Highway Safety catch Research Center, 2011, p. 5-8)

However, a study of Florida found that the increase of fatalities is associated with the increased numbers of licensed motorcycles. The added fatality rare per ten thousand motorcycle would not change the following repeal.

Nearly about half of the motorcyclists admitted to hospitals for lack of enough safety or may be covered by the govt.

Services, for this public share many of these costs and long term burden of care. So it is true that universal coverage cost or safety benefit which covers only particular age group. Helmet is a great useful thing.

We would not like to understand the usefulness of helmet. Everyone should use it to save or protect the head and face from the serious accident. You can read more to click here on motorcycle helmet effectiveness revisited.

Helmets Save Lives & Reduce Health Care Costs

• This is the report of Government Accountability Office GAO laws requires all motorcyclists should use helmets is the way to prove to make it effective to lessen fatalities. About 59% of motorcyclists have been killed not to wear a helmet, in the united state it is 8% as they use a helmet at the time of driving motorcycle.
• Yearly, the cost of crashes is 12.9 billion for economic impacts and sixty-six billion in societal harm measured by comprehensive cost depend on 2010 data. This is compared with other motor vehicle crashes, and the cost is caused by serious injuries and fatalities.
• At present helmets are saving 17 billion dollars in societal harm every year, but about eight billion dollar is possible to prevent if motorcyclists use a helmet.
• The motorcyclists faced death more likely 26 times more than the mass of the passenger cars.
• In Michigan in 2012, only a few people faced death by motorcycle crash up to 26% through the helmet was a must in place, this is the study of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. When the study result published only seventy-four percent of users faced crashes wearing helmets, compared to ninety-eight percent of the same time of the previous years.
• Helmet is saving 2.7 billion cost every year at present
• If people do not use a helmet, the cost saved 725 dollars per motorcycle registration, compared with 198 dollars for per motorcycle if the law is not implemented.
• The overwhelming majority 80%, American favor state laws all users to wear the helmet during riding
• If an accident occurs, the motorcyclists require necessary protection to save the users’ head to save from the unnecessary death or disability in America – head wounded.
• The helmet reduces the possibility of head injury by 69% and lessens the risk of death by 42%.

Is the Law considered to be Effective?

You should know that the law may be effective; it is up to the place. As the law is effective in a country or the place is disciplined the law may be effective, it will save the life.

When the country does not care about the law, the risk of death is much higher. It is told in some places if people like to steal motorcycles as they must ride a motorcycle without wearing helmets.

You must keep in mind that if the question comes to riding motorcycles and using helmets, the laws may be different from one place to another.

If you are not familiar with the laws, you must have aware of your need. What is the way to follow laws if you have no idea what are they? If the laws are not implemented well in your country, be sure you have to wear it properly.

Motorcycle Helmet Law