ALT-4 Motorcyclists should always Wear Helmets – Agree
Riding a motorcycle is a privilege. Protecting yourself from injury is a choice. I choose to always wear a motorcycle helmet when I am riding because one never knows what is going to happen on the road, and very often it is better to err on the side of safety. I understand the arguments of those who enjoy a ride down a twisty road with their hair blowing in the wind. Some find motorcycle helmets to be too hot or too uncomfortable, so they opt not to wear them. Should it be mandatory to wear helmets? There is a strong argument in favor of mandatory helmets.
I choose to wear a helmet when I ride my Aprilia motorcycle as it is considered a performance sport bike. The handling is very precise and the bike itself is very quick. I often ride at high speeds and any accident could be fatal or cause life-threatening injuries. In 1999, I was knocked off a motorcycle in California and without a helmet, I might have sustained a head injury. The helmet itself impacted the ground with such force that a crack appeared down the center. That crack could have easily been a crack in my skull. I didn't know a truck would change lanes into me, but it did, and I lived to talk about it because I was wearing a helmet. If I had not been wearing a helmet, I may have had to spend a long time in the hospital enduring surgery and rehabilitation. I had health insurance, but what if I didn't?
Many motorcycle riders are young and do not carry health insurance. When they are involved in accidents, they often are taken to the hospital and treated as emergency patients. This means they usually do not pay for the trauma care, surgery or rehabilitation that they need. This drives up the costs of insurance for responsible riders like myself. Also, the long-term costs of caring for cranial-injury patients is very high and can require round-the-clock care. For indigent motorcycle riders, the costs of their injuries will be born by insurance companies or by government. This means all of us will pay one way or another.
Despite cost issues, a primary reason for helmet laws is the dramatic reduction in the incidents of accidents and injuries once these laws are put on the books. People who wear helmets sustain less injuries during accidents. People who wear helmets are also more safety-conscious and also tend to wear gloves, boots and protective jackets or pants when riding. This reduces injuries as well.
I agree that motorcyclists should always wear helmets, but I'm not ready to demand that all jurisdictions enact helmet laws. Communities must decide for themselves.
