Yup, I have a 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600
Wear Your Motorcycle Helmet
by Justitia Themis 106 Replies latest social physical
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misanthropic
Well mis, I'm a nursing student. I was an EMT and rode rescue as a firefighter and STILL don't think that helmets laws are a good idea.
As to the poor tax payers please one motorcyclist vs the DOZENS of baker acted drug abusers that I see on a weekly basis? Give me a break...
I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with your personal experiences or taxpayer dollars paying for drug abusers in your area.
I was just posting some facts on how often head injury occurs in the whole of the US, the costs of TBI rehabilitation and how being informed on brain injury and prevention has changed some peoples viewpoint on the helmet law.
These are some updated statistics that are found on the Family Caregiver Alliance website. I believe these are studies that were solely pertaining to the State of California:
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=441
* Motorcycle helmets provide protection for motorcycle drivers for all types
and locations of head injuries, and, contrary to a
popular misconception, are not associated with increased neck
injuries.
* Studies indicate that the risk of brain injury in hospitalized
motorcyclists is nearly twice that for unhelmeted motorcyclists
and that unhelmeted drivers had acute care costs three times
($30,365) that of helmeted drivers
*In California, the first year's implementation of the 1992 helmet
law resulted in a 37.5% decrease in statewide motorcycle crash
fatalities over the previous year; those likely to sustain
TBI-related impairments decreased 34%. California has
demonstrated a more than 99% compliance rate in helmet use.
This suggests that, with adequate enforcement, unrestricted
helmet laws can achieve nearly 100% compliance.
I can get more resources for estimated numbers throughout the United States but I'll have to get back to you on that as I believe most are from medical documents that I'm unsure of being available online.
Also, I did see your comment about the speed the motorcyclist is going; with or without a helmet would make no difference whatsoever resulting in either death or brain damage (as I'm sure it wouldn't have with the guy in the picture that this thread was started over). However, there's no disputing wearing helmets save lives just like seat belts do. That's why they've had rules to enforce the drivers to wear them in races for many years. -
mkr32208
yes but my point is that the burden of helmetless riders is no where near the burden of other "preventable" injuries to the taxpayers so that is a red herring. Also the idea that it's the states responsibility to protect me pisses me off. Who are they to tell me to protect my head while they sleep with whores and take drugs?
The tax payer expense to treat their whore for aids is a hell of a lot more then for me to whack my head off a fence post. Who are they to tell me to "think of my family" while they do the above!?
I've ridden motorcycles on the road since the day I turned 16 often times with a bike as my only means of transportation. I've ridden in rain sleet snow and mud and NEVER had a serious accident. EVER. These kids drive like crack brain idiots and have accidents! Maybe we should just raise the driving age to 21.
Is wearing a helmet a good idea? Yes! Is FORCING adults to wear a helmet (or seat belt) a good idea? HELL NO!
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misanthropic
yes but my point is that the burden of helmetless riders is no where near the burden of other "preventable" injuries to the taxpayers so that is a red herring. Also the idea that it's the states responsibility to protect me pisses me off. Who are they to tell me to protect my head while they sleep with whores and take drugs?
The tax payer expense to treat their whore for aids is a hell of a lot more then for me to whack my head off a fence post. Who are they to tell me to "think of my family" while they do the above!?
I've ridden motorcycles on the road since the day I turned 16 often times with a bike as my only means of transportation. I've ridden in rain sleet snow and mud and NEVER had a serious accident. EVER. These kids drive like crack brain idiots and have accidents! Maybe we should just raise the driving age to 21.
Is wearing a helmet a good idea? Yes! Is FORCING adults to wear a helmet (or seat belt) a good idea? HELL NO!
Are you saying you think the cost is a non issue (ie: we spend so much tax dollars on other things- what's a couple million more for brain trauma)? Of course if you want to use that logic you could have used the cost of the war were in right now- because next to that all else would pale in comparison concerning wasted tax dollars.
If we're going to weigh the pros and cons of helmet laws and we keep the subject on such, it is a fact - wearing helmets save lives, prevent injury and cut down costs of medical expenses. If a law requiring a helmet to be used has proven to cut down on death rates (associated with non helmeted motorcyclists), related injuries and cut down on medical expenses, then it makes sense wanting to pass laws requiring helmets be worn.ScienceDaily (Jan. 23, 2008) — Fewer than half of U.S. states require every motorcycle rider -- drivers and passengers -- to wear a helmet; and four states have no helmet requirements whatsoever. Around the world, the same patchwork legal pattern exists.
Now, an international group of researchers has combined data from a variety of studies to determine how effective helmets really are. Their findings confirm what seems intuitive: Helmet use is highly significant in reducing both accidental death and injury, reducing head injury risk by 69 percent and death by 42 percent.
"Motorcycle helmets protect motorcyclists who crash from sustaining head injury, and the results also suggest that motorcycle helmets protect motorcyclists who crash from death," said lead author Dr. Betty Liu, epidemiologist at Oxford University in England.
"The findings are important to consider in those countries with without mandatory motorcycle helmet laws, as well as in jurisdictions with weak or partial helmet legislation," added co-author Dr. Rebecca Ivers, head of the Injury Prevention Program at the George Institute for International Health in Sydney, Australia.
The review appears in The Cochrane Library an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic. This review is an update to one conducted by the same researchers, published in 2004. They include data from eight additional studies in the new review. The review "confirms the belief of specialists in emergency medicine and should put an end to any further debate about the protective role of helmets regarding head injury in motorcycle riders," said Robert McNamara, M.D., chairman of the emergency medicine department at Temple University School and spokesman for the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
McNamara said that, at this point, "the debate over mandating use in adults should center on personal freedom to accept a known risk."
The authors say that, despite differences in methodology of the 61 included studies, there was a "remarkable consistency" in results, especially pertaining to death and head injury.
"The review supports the view that helmet use should be actively encouraged worldwide for rider safety," they conclude.
The reviewers say that the analysis could not specify the effects of helmet use on facial and neck injuries, and there was insufficient evidence to determine which type of helmet is most protective.
Addressing the public policy implications of the findings, McNamara said, "The personal freedom issue must be balanced with the cost to society of the care of patients with catastrophic head injury. Riders cite the pleasure of going helmet-less, but often the cost of care for the injured motorcyclist is passed on to society at large."
Motorcycle riders might not realize how much is at stake, he said. They "may not fully understand the scientifically demonstrated level of risk involved in riding without a helmet and might assume the risks are acceptable if the law does not prohibit it. In that context, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine believes that states should require helmet use in all age groups."
In many developing nations, a majority of traffic-related injuries occur among pedestrians and motorcycle/motorbike riders, the authors said; they cite the example of Malaysia where, in 1994, 57 percent of all road deaths were riders of motorized two-wheeled vehicles. They conclude that, given the significant influence on worldwide mortality of impact head injuries, "the results of this review should be contemplated widely."
Reference: Liu BC, et al. Helmets for preventing injury in motorcycle riders (Review). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1.
Adapted from materials provided by Center for the Advancement of Health.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080122203237.htm
A couple of reference sites:
List of scholarly articles for medical research on motorcycle helmets -
WTWizard
I also recommend wearing a helmet for riding a bicycle. That will not make you invincible (if you get hit by a car, you are still going to get seriously hurt). However, it will make what could have been a major brain injury into something more manageable. Typically, people will get that kind of injuries from a wipeout, and then hit their heads on something hard. A helmet will help reduce those kinds of injuries.
Also, I recommend rear view mirrors. And, if you are going to ride at night, a good LED flasher (red for the rear, green or white for the front) supplemented with a headlight is good for visibility. They make LEDs that can be seen for a mile, which I recommend (even if the law only says 500 feet, more is always better).
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BrentR
Back when I rode not only did I wear a helmet but also a foam cervical collar. Helmets protect your brain at lower speed impacts but they also multiply the force on your neck. So you crash and escape a closed head injury but end up a quadraplegic. The C-collar also kept that little spot on my throat warm and protected from insect collisions. Anyone that has taken a bee at 65 MPH to the throat knows what I am talking about.
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Barbie Doll
I had a Motorcycle hit the front of my car. The guy was in bad shape, he had his helmet on.
How about, wear your helmet and follow the speed limit signs.
I think that will help.
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mkr32208
If a law requiring a helmet to be used has proven to cut down on death rates (associated with non helmeted motorcyclists), related injuries and cut down on medical expenses, then it makes sense wanting to pass laws requiring helmets be worn.
Yeeeeeaaaaah.... Sure... Well people choke to death eating steak more often then eating mashed potato's so I think we should ban steak! People get killed skiing who wouldn't get hurt at all if they had just sat at home on the couch! So outlaw that too! Where does it end? Living LIFE is dangerous, if your scared then stay the hell home and wrap your family in bubble wrap and let those of us who enjoy life and want to live it do it!I mean this argument is unbelievably arrogant...
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inkling
it makes sense wanting to pass laws requiring helmets be worn.
Yeah I'm sorry, this argument is fragile and offensive. Although I do not ride a motorcycle,
I imagine that wearing a helmet significantly changes the experience. Riding has been described
as the closest thing to flying without leaving the ground, and I think your hair blowing in the
wind is a profound part of that feeling of freedom and exhilaration.You may as well ban sky diving while you are at it, and backcountry snowboarding, and for good
measure- ban having sex without a condom.For many perfectly normal people, danger and pleasure are closely linked.
This is a undeniable part of being human, and unless you are going to hurt someone else
who did NOT sign up for the risk, the government has no right to ruin your choice to burn
out rather than fade away.[inkling]
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BrentR
Head injury care and rehabilitation is a long and very expensive journey. All too often riders do not have medical insurance and subsequently become a burden on the taxpayers. I have no problem with people that enjoy risky and dangerous sports. Just don't ask me the taxpayer to pay for it when something goes wrong.
If you want to ride without a helmet then get medical insurance or post a $1,000,000 medical care bond with the dept. of licensing and ride like the wind.