Posted on 04/15/2016 9:33:33 AM PDT by MichCapCon
A Grand Rapids doctor generated national headlines with his study that claimed motorcyclist head injuries and deaths have increased sharply since the state repealed a mandatory helmet law in 2012.
Dr. Carlos Rodriguez, the author of the study, said that he noticed a spike in injuries and deaths while working in the trauma unit at Spectrum Health Hospital.
"Injuries soar after Michigan stops requiring motorcycle helmets," is what the Reuters news service said in a headline.
But statistics compiled by the Michigan State Police dont support a claim of a large increase in motorcycle-related injuries or deaths since the helmet law was lifted.
We are reporting what we are finding (at Spectrum Health Hospital)," Rodriguez said. "That's the only thing we can report."
His study looked at 345 individuals treated at the West Michigan hospital for motorcycle crashes during the months of April through October during the years 2011 through 2014. The helmet law was repealed in April 2012.
The state police data on motorcycle accident deaths and injuries don't show an increase in the first two years after the helmet law was lifted.
In 2012, 129 people were killed in Michigan motorcycle accidents and 2,870 injured. Those numbers dropped to 128 and 2,497 respectively in 2013. In 2014, the most recent year for which data is available, 107 people were killed and 2,309 injured.
Between 2005 to 2011, while the helmet mandate was still in effect, an average of 114.2 people were killed each year in Michigan motorcycle accidents and 2,757.6 injured. The state police data shows no clear trend.
Sierra Medrano, a spokeswoman for the Michigan State Police, said all traffic crashes are reported to the state police.
"By law, all law enforcement agencies are required to submit qualifying crash reports (reports made using the UD-10 State of Michigan Traffic Crash Report) to the MSP," Medrano said in an email. "The UD-10 Traffic Crash Report Instruction Manual provides law enforcement officers with instructions on what crashes [to report] and how to record them correctly."
If I rode I’d wear a helmet, but it’s not the government’s place to protect me from myself. I want the liberty to decide for myself.
Here in WTX, I ride “naked” on commutes and secondary streets. Helmet on every time I hit the “open” road due to the large insects and “stoopid” drivers.
A WTX grasshopper at 70MPH can really be a distraction. Oh, and we will soon have tarantulas that are quite greasy on the road when you squish them.
Damn! You’ve got morphine? Can I get me some?
I had a motorcycle accident when I was in the Army. After looking at the beating the helmet took, I shutter to think what my head and face would have looked like...........
It’s not just bugs. I have the occasional rock hit my helmet (kicked up by other vehicles). At a minimum, it would hurt a lot w/o a helmet. No doubt a well placed rock to the head can take a motorcyclist out.
On the flip side, having a bug crawl inside your helmet is no fun either.
You're obviously eating the wrong kind of bugs.
I thought Mark Twain said that? /S LOL
“Brain buckets save lives.”
They do and I always wear mine. I think all motorcyclists should. However, I do not think all motorcyclist should HAVE to. The choice should be yours. You know better than “Nannie” what your life is worth.
Great. Hope you get the same courtesy you are so willing to force on others.
I have had helmets save me a couple of times. I don’t even ride by bicycle with out one.
One of my weaknesses though...on really nice sunny days I strip my jacket off and soak up the sun. Feels so nice. Getting hit by a bug at 70 MPH - feels like a damn baseball.
Samuel Clemens is credited with the quote because it did not appear in print in any Mark Twain writings.
Amen, brother. I wear my helmet every time, but I defend the rights of others to decide for themselves.
I was glad to see someone credit Samuel Clemens. I love that quote and use it often.
they'll also tell you that maybe the helmets protect their heads but they do not protect your neck....even with a helmet, if you neck snaps you're either dead or a quad...
my husband wears his helmet always....I wish he wouldn’t drive his cycle anymore (he’s 63) but I can’t force him not too....I do ask him not to drive at night...
The article doesn’t seem to distiguish between injuries with people wearing helmets, and injuries without helmets.
But he's most famous for his baseball career and ultimate Hall of Fame induction:
Winloss record 354184
Earned run average 3.12
Strikeouts 4,672
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