LUBBOCK, TX, Federal safety officials want all motorcyclists to wear helmets

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http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=13527008 Federal safety officials want all motorcyclists to wear helmets Posted: Nov 18, 2010 12:00 AM EST Updated: Nov 18, 2010 12:11 AM EST Video Gallery

Federal safety officials want all motorcyclists to wear helmets 2:36

Click image to enlargeBy Michael Slother - email

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - A new debate in Washington could affect motorcyclists here on the South Plains. It's a proposal to require riders in every state to wear a helmet. It comes on the heels of several motorcycle deaths in our area.

Last month, KCBD NewsChannel11 brought you a story on the pros and cons of helmet use after many viewers asked why so many riders chose not to wear them. Now, the National Transportation Safety Board wants to take that choice away.

The NTSB came out with a most wanted list for safety improvements. The newest addition was improving motorcycle safety. Karen Peoples with the Texas Department of Public Safety in Lubbock talked with us about the proposal. "They're pushing to have the helmet law here in the state of Texas for all riders to have to wear a helmet when riding motorcycles," she said.

Only 20 states require all riders to wear helmets. In Texas if you have a certain amount of health insurance you're not required to wear one. "We don't want the state of Texas lagging behind their efforts towards pushing to since we're seeing more and more crashes," Peoples told us.

Last year there were 4400 motorcycle deaths, and Texas had more than 400 of those. "We've seen quite a few crashes where motorcyclists may have saved their lives by maybe wearing a helmet because of head injuries," said Peoples.

Not all riders agree that helmets should be a requirement. Chris Galentine of Thundering Eagle Motorsports has been riding for more than 30 years. He wears a helmet, but strongly believes it should be a choice. "A lot of people probably should be told to wear a helmet. For me, it's about personal freedom, it is America, and I think it should be up to the individual," Galentine continued. "In any instance, you're going to increase your chances of survival or keeping injury down in a mishap."

He also says helmets are no substitute for paying attention. "You're talking a 4000 pound vehicle against a rider on a bike 1200 pounds; not going help."

"We just have to educate not just motorcycle riders but educate motorists that we need to watch out for each other," Peoples said.

One of the main reasons the NTSB is focusing on motorcycle accidents is because they say fatalities have increased over the past decade while deaths in other traffic accidents have declined.

http://www.dallastexaspersonalinjurylaw.com/2010/11/texas-motorcyclists-gather-to-raise-awareness-remember-victims.shtml Texas Motorcyclists Gather to Raise Awareness, Remember Victims On behalf of Crain Lewis, LLP posted in Motorcycle Accident

17 November 2010 Whereas Saturdays tend to be carefree days among the general public, hundreds of fed-up Texas motorcycle riders gathered in Lubbock last weekend to remember the loss of those who they claim as family. Sure, all people who ride motorcycles are not biologically connected, but according to one Texas motorcycle safety advocate, they are all connected spiritually.
A member of the Freedom Road Biker Fellowship of Wolfforth (he is also a pastor) led a group of about 300 bike enthusiasts who united on Saturday for a noble, crucial cause. According to sources, members of the Texas group, along with other motorcycle enthusiasts, felt it was in the community's best interest to come together and recognize the importance of improving rider safety in the area in order to prevent more avoidable motorcycle accidents from happening.
"We're in a kind of bond together," said one attendee of the safety rally. He is alluding to that spiritual connection that bikers share, a connection that moves the motorcycling community to do more to make riding safe. That begins with recognizing the lives that have been needlessly lost on Texas roads. Sources report that Saturday's rally did that in a moving way by having the names of recent crash victims recited over the hum of running motorcycles.
The name of the rally was "See Us. Save Us," which is exactly what the motorcycle community asks of drivers in order for the roads to become safer. Too many drivers do not understand how to share the roads with motorcycles, and by not learning how to do that, they are all reckless drivers who put precious lives at risk.
Check back to our personal injury blog soon to learn those safe road sharing tips and become the better driver that Saturday's rally aimed to inspire.