Helmet Law Repeal Killed
Proponents of a bill
(AB1412 - Duchney) to repeal the California motorcycle helmet law were unable to obtain
the necessary votes in the Senate Transportation committee again this year. This has
resulted in the bill being declared dead for the session. A spokesman for the bill’s
author indicated that the issue will be taken up again during 1999.
Opponents to the legislative repeal of the helmet mandate successfully argued that the use
of safety helmets is clearly working, saving lives, and abating injury. They cited data
from the state highway patrol which shows an average of over 600 motorcyclists annually
were being killed in California during each of the five years prior to the law taking
effect. In the five years since the safety helmet mandate has become law, the average has
been less than 300 riders being killed annually.
Similarly, injuries have been reduced. In the state of California, there used to be an
average of over 19,000 motorcycle riders injured every year during the pre-law period as
compared to an average of less than 9,500 injured every year since the safety helmet law.
The numbers during the year 1997 were 235 killed and 7,680 injured, a significant
reduction.
Studies of motorcycle injuries have shown that the average cost of medical care for a
non-helmeted rider is more than twice that of a helmeted rider. In addition to these
costs, the family of a rider killed or injured often realizes a major loss of family
income as a result of the motorcycle crash.
Equally important, whenever an injured motorcycle rider receives permanent brain damage,
there are extended costs for the long-term care of both the rider, and the rider’s
family members. These expenditures of public funds are often in competition with program
expenditures that are required to assist persons with other types of disabilities.
Back to Issue - September /
October 1998
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