We recently told you about a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that shows how motorcycle helmets save lives. Despite the evidence, fewer states require motorcycle helmets than in decades past, and there’s an alarming trend in the number of fatal motorcycle accidents.

Back in the 1970s, all but three states required riders to wear motorcycle helmets. Now only 19 states maintain this requirement. (Most of those states do require helmets for younger motorcyclists.)

This may be a result of pressure from motorcyclists who do not think they should be forced to wear helmets if it’s not their preference. The American Motorcyclist Association says that it opposes helmet requirements because they have “unintended consequences.” Instead, the group emphasizes rider education and awareness.

Still, it’s hard to argue with the numbers. Back in 2002, there were about 3,200 motorcycle deaths. Less than a decade later, in 2010, there were 4,500. And that number has essentially doubled since the 1990s. Yet the number of people dying in car accidents is at its lowest point since the 1940s. Something’s off here, but what?

It all comes back to the CDC report, the results of which have been mirrored in many other reports over recent decades: Helmets save lives. In fact, hundreds of lives are saved every year by motorcycle helmets.

Still, many riders look at the helmet issue as one of personal liberty. The question comes up again and again: Can laws require people to do something for their own safety even if they don’t want to? Or do the social costs of not wearing a helmet outweigh that concern? The debate isn’t going away anytime soon.

Source: PBS, “Why rise in motorcycle deaths hasn’t meant tougher helmet laws,” June 19, 2012

As we reported in a recent blog post, data continues to support the stance that wearing a motorcycle helmet can save a rider’s life in the event of a motorcycle accident. Unfortunately, it’s never true 100 percent of the time.

A 25-year-old motorcyclist from Maryville was killed last week when his bike struck a tractor-trailer that was attempting to make a U-Turn. The accident happened on Hall Road close to Associates Boulevard in Alcoa.

A man driving a 2007 Kenworth truck for TLD Logistics Services in Knoxville was apparently trying to make a left U-turn. The motorcyclist, who was riding a 2006 Kowasaki motorcycle, apparently approached the semi in the northbound left-hand lane. He was unable to stop and slid directly into the side of the tractor trailer.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders, according to a police sergeant. The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Alcoa Fire Department were among the responders. The 30-year-old truck driver, who is from Sparta, was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash and was not injured.

It’s not clear if charges are pending. The investigation was continuing after the accident.

Sadly, the crash shows that even with proper protective gear, such as helmets, motorcyclists are still vulnerable to injuries in accidents, particularly ones involving big vehicles. That makes it all the more important for bikers and other drivers to keep a proper lookout to avoid such accidents in the first place.

Source: The Daily Times, “Motorcyclist dies in collision with tractor trailer,” June 15, 2012

Quite often motorcyclists argue that they should have the freedom to decide whether they wear a helmet when they ride. Some don’t like the restriction of wearing a helmet, even if it offers protection.

Others would argue that in the case of motorcycle accidents, helmets save lives. And the statistics certainly seem to back that up, as evidenced by new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rather unsurprisingly, the research shows that fewer motorcyclists die in the states that require motorcycle helmets. On top of that, about five times as many no-helmet bikers are killed in states with laws that are less restrictive.

Only about 12 percent of no-helmet deaths occurred in one of the 20 states that require everyone to wear a helmet. Data focused on a total of 14,283 motorcyclist deaths between 2008 and 2010. Over 6,000 of those motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet.

In addition to the number of deaths, the research found that helmets cut down on costs as well. In 2010, for example, it is estimated that helmets saved more than $3 billion in economic costs in the U.S. alone. That reportedly includes lost work productivity and medical expenses.

It’s not all or nothing. Some states mandate that teens and other riders wear helmets. And a handful of states don’t require riders to wear helmets, but require that they carry higher amounts in medical insurance.

Some say it shouldn’t matter what the bikers themselves want. The lead author of the study says simply, “These laws save lives.”

Source: Ocala.com, “CDC: Motorcycle helmet laws reduce deaths,” June 14, 2012