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Helmet Laws In The United States Essay

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Helmet laws throughout the U.S. have always created a great deal of controversy. Currently there are two types of helmet laws in the United States; a universal helmet law, which requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet and partial helmet law that has age requirements. The helmet debate has been a long battle between free-rights organizations and government officials.

In 1967, the Highway Safety act created a federal highway safety grant program. Prior to this act, no state in the U.S. had a motorcycle helmet law. In order for states to receive federal funds, they were required to have a highway safety program in place. If a state did not enact a universal motorcycle helmet law, portions of these federal funds could be withheld. By …show more content…

From my perspective, there should be mandatory helmet laws throughout the United States. I have witnessed the injuries and losses of lives from those involved in accidents. Some wore helmets and some did not.

So the debates continue; Should a universal helmet law become mandatory throughout the U.S? The following will explore the various pros, cons, and arguments that fuel this debate.

Many advocates believe the choice to wear a helmet or not should be their own decision. They argue that the government should not be interfering in the matter and view their involvement makes it unconstitutional. In my opinion, the constitution does not give the right for everyone to do as they please. A paper presented at The International Motorcycle Safety Conference in Washington DC states that “The public interest, not interests of a particular person or group, requires interference with individual rights” Obviously the choice is not always our own. The government has the responsibility to protect its citizens from their own choices that cause unnecessary harm.

State and national motorcycle rights organizations are strong advocates of rider education and motorist awareness. I agree this is an important issue but not enough. The Journal of Trauma conducted a study to investigate motorcycle collisions with animals. Based on the results they concluded, “Deer Motorcycle Crashes (DMC) are a significant public health issue in mid-western states.” A deer darting in front of

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