Proven: Motorcycle Helmet Laws Do Prevent Death, Reduce Medical Related Expenses

Driving a motorcycle without a helmet puts you at a higher risk of being injured and ultimately death. Researchers at the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention studied a government tally of fatal traffic accidents to determine the safety potential of wearing a motorcycle helmet.

According to the study five times as many no-helmet biker deaths occur in states with less restrictive bike helmet laws.

Lead researchers Rebecca Naumann, an epidemiologist and the study’s lead author studied 14,283 motorcycle deaths from 2008 through 2010 and found that 6, 057 bikes were not wearing a helmet while only 12 percent of those deaths occurred in states where everyone riding a motorcycle are required to wear helmets.

The study then examined costs associated with motorcycle helmet laws vs. states with no such requirements. According to CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden:

“In 2010, more than $3 billion in economic costs were saved due to helmet use in the United States. Another $1.4 billion could have been saved if all motorcyclist had worn helmets.”

States with mandatory helmet laws saw an expense of just $200 per accident compared to $725 in states without helmets. The study found that three states, Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire had no helmet laws while 27 only states only had laws for teenagers and certain other “at risk” bike riders.

In Michigan riders 21 and older are no longer required to wear a motorcycle helmet but only if they carry an additional $20,000 in medical insurance.

In a scary statistic the CDC says motorcycle accidents account for only 3 percent of registered vehicle accidents but nearly 14 percent of vehicle related deaths.

If you do where a motorcycle helmet and its the 5X5 brand, SA-08 model you’ll want to return it after a Federally announced recall last week.