Motorcycle helmet law-plank-Frankel

==Frankel Introduces Bill to Restore Pa. Helmet Law - 6/29/2006==
:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, http://www.pahouse.com/Frankel
:MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Turner, House Democratic Communications Office, Phone: 717-787-7895, Fax: 717-783-6839, bturner@pahouse.net
Frankel says 'the evidence is in,' citing doubling of riders' head injuries since repeal
HARRISBURG, June 29, 2006 - State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today
introduced a bill to restore Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet
requirement for people 21 and older.
"The evidence is in. Repealing the helmet law three years ago has led to
a doubling of serious head injuries to motorcycle riders - an increase
of more than 200 more serious head injuries," Frankel said. "This report
and Ben Roethlisberger's accident should be all the wake-up calls we
need."
The increase is outlined in a new report from the nonpartisan Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
"We require adults over the age of 21 to wear seat belts in cars, and we
should require adults over the age of 21 to wear helmets. The serious
head injuries to helmet-less motorcycle riders are more than a private
tragedy - all insurance ratepayers and taxpayers end up paying millions
of dollars for the health care bills for many of these riders. We need
to rein in health-care costs to make our state more competitive for jobs
and to help families make ends meet. A common-sense measure like
restoring the helmet law is a good place to start," Frankel said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released statistics
in 2000, stating that helmets reduce the risk of death by 29 percent and
are 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle
riders. The study also showed that in overall per vehicle miles
traveled, motorcyclists are about 18 times as likely as passenger car
occupants to die in a traffic crash and three times as likely to be
injured.
Finally, the study shined light on an enormous decrease in health-care
costs, as an estimated $13.2 billion was saved from 1984 through 1999
because of motorcycle helmet use. An additional $11.1 billion could have
been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
Frankel noted these comments by Bob Flaus, head football coach at
Pittsburgh Peabody High School, as reported in the June 13 Harrisburg
Patriot-News: "Here's the thing. You play football with a helmet on, and
you're running maybe 15 miles an hour. You ride a motorcycle in the city
and you're traveling 35-40 miles an hour."
==Links==
* Motorcycle helmet law
category:Planks_from_elsewhere