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Fresh data published last month in the “American Journal of Surgery” reveal that motorcycle deaths and head injuries among riders in Michigan have risen sharply since that state repealed its helmet law in April 2012 after 35 years of requiring riders to wear a helmet.
A study team led by Dr. Carlos Rodriquez at Spectrum Health Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI determined that deaths at the crash scene involving non-helmeted riders more than quadrupled, while deaths in the hospital among non-helmeted riders tripled for motorcyclists.
The study, which covered the seven months before the repeal of Michigan’s helmet law and the three riding seasons after the helmet requirement was dropped, concluded that the result of the repeal has been “increased injury severity score, higher in-patient mortality, and worse neurological injury.”
Non-helmeted deaths at the crash scene were 68 percent following the repeal, compared to 14 percent prior. In-hospital deaths involving non-helmeted riders rose 10 percent, compared to three percent for riders who wore helmets. “Non-helmeted riders also had increased alcohol use, intensive care length of stay and need for mechanical ventilation,” said the study, which was published online on Dec. 20.
The doctors involved in compiling the statistics noticed that many riders shed their lids when the helmet law was repealed. Fox News reports, “Among the accident victims brought to the hospital, the proportion of riders who had not been wearing a helmet rose four-fold, from 7 percent to 28 percent.”
Fox News noted, “Overall, hospital costs averaged $27,760 for non-helmeted riders versus $20,970 for patients who had been wearing helmets.”
Fox News also quoted Dr. Ben Zarzaur, a surgeon who studies motorcycle helmet laws, who said the cost of injuries and deaths from motorcycle crashes is extremely high. He added that taxpayers and other insurance payers often bear this cost. “So, choosing not to wear a helmet has consequences for many more people than just to the person who decided not to wear the helmet,” he said.
– By Bud Wilkinson
