OFF THE WIRE
By Basem Wasef,
About.com Guide
In an attempt to clamp down on so-called "novelty helmets" that don't meet the Department of Transportation's criteria for head protection, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration passed a law on May 13-- effective immediately-- which requires helmets to clearly display a label indicating compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218.
Safety standard No. 218 sets guidelines for a helmet's energy attenuation, penetration resistance, and retention system structure, among other parameters. According to NHTSA, a helmet that meets those requirements cuts the risk of dying in a motorcycle crash by 37 percent. By reducing the number of dubiously constructed helmets on the road from the 5.2 million lids sold annually, the U.S. government estimates that between 22 and 75 lives could be saved.
Government statistics cite an 11 percent increase in novelty helmet use between 2009 and 2010 in states with universal helmet laws, "evidence of the difficulty encountered by law enforcement officials in enforcing helmet use laws."
Do you think the government is spending its lawmaking power wisely, or is this an example of much ado about nothing? Share your thoughts with a comment.
