I don't like mandatory anything laws, but I will admit to benefiting from them. My husband used to have a bike until a woman in a minivan sped up, and some how not seeing him, rear ended him causing him to go off the road and crash. His head hit the ground and he was lucky to walk away with only a nasty headache. Yes, it wasn't his fault but that wouldn't have changed the fact that he was dead or seriously injured without that helmet, which he wore in NY but not always in FL. The woman kept hugging him and telling him she was so sorry, her son rides and she just didn't see him in the glare of the sun. But dead would have been dead.
I was riding in a car (without a seat belt on) and witnessed an accident. We stopped and the woman had not been wearing her seat belt. Her head was gashed open, tons of blood, broken jaw and teeth. She permanently has speech issues and deep scars on her face. I don't think she ever went back to work. Like I said, I hate mandatory anything laws. But I've worn my seat belt ever since.
I wear seat belts too. I just think that the govt is telling us too many things we must do. I don't like it. I've gone down a few times, more then I care to think about. But helmets worn by most bikers are not DOT approved. Helmets can also kill you. I lost a friend where the helmet broke his neck when he crashed. PA has no helmet laws. According to the website I just read ....•Helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41% for motorcycle passengers.* I believe in freedom of choice & think people should use common sense. I know I should wear a helmet when riding my horses but I just hate it. I grew up riding without one & just can't get into it. I do however make my daughter wear one.