OFF THE WIRE
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/polls/25907796-56/helmet-law-oregon-riders-states.csp
EDITORIAL: Don’t weaken helmet law A bill would leave the choice to adult motorcyclists
The Oregon House of Representatives should give a swift and deep burial to a proposal to allow motorcycle riders and passengers to ride without helmets if they’re 21 or older.
Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, says his proposal, House Bill 3141, would allow riders to hear better and see more. Presumably, he doesn’t mean hearing the screech of tires and seeing the swirling pavement after a crash on a winding Oregon highway.
When the measure comes before the House Transportation Committee in coming days, lawmakers should remind Olson that head injuries are the leading cause of death among riders not wearing a helmet. And helmets, as study after study has shown, reduce crash-related head injuries.
Oregon is one of 20 states that require helmets for all motorcycle riders regardless of age. The need for such a requirement is underscored by the recent increase in the fatality rate among motorcyclists in the state. The number of fatal crashes soared from 29 in 2002 to 51 in 2009.
Helmet law critics note that 29 states have repealed or changed their helmet laws to apply only to younger riders. But Oregon shouldn’t follow other states that have made bad — fatally bad — decisions.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study examined the effects of helmet-law repeal on motorcycle fatalities over a 10-year period in several states. Researchers found a 10.4 percent to 33.3 percent increase in the fatality rate per accident.
Critics of Oregon’s existing helmet law insist that many bikers will continue to ride with helmets if HB 3141 becomes law, but the experience of other states isn’t reassuring. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation says the rate for voluntary helmet use by motorcyclists in states that do not have helmet laws range from 45 percent to 55 percent.
Helmet law critics invariably roll out the tread-worn argument that adults should have the freedom to decide whether to wear a helmet. In May 1988, the voters of Oregon — by a 2-to-1 margin — rejected the “freedom-to-choose” argument by passing Measure 2, mandating that all motorcyclists wear protective helmets. Those who extol the virtues of individual freedom overlook the fact that all Oregonians, either directly or indirectly, help pay the price of treating motorcyclists who suffer serious head injuries.
While other states have rolled back their helmet laws, Oregon wisely has gone the other way, bolstering motorcycle safety requirements. In 2009, the Legislature passed new safety rules that phase in new training requirements for adult riders.
At a time when motorcycle registrations have doubled in the past 15 years, it makes absolutely no sense to weaken protections for adult riders.
