.....And that choice should be YOURs to make....not the edict of a nanny-state.
Those who ride should have the freedom of choice.

 

My way of thinking !

 

In so much that my job totally supports the wisdom of wearing a helmet, I believe in freedom of choice.... and all the goes with making a bad one. The decisions we make don't just affect us, they affect our falilies as well. I would still wear one reguardless of what the law says so to me it's really a mute point and would hope all riders would.

I will probably say this a hudred times, but I fail to understand how some can believe so aredently that loud pipes saves lives, but would opt to not wear a helmet if given a choice. crazy... crazy... crazy...

 

It's about friggin time!!!! Now, if you really are concerned about bikers and want to reduce deaths/injuries, outlaw fuggin cell phone engulfed cagers!

Motorcycle Insurance in Michigan – Frequently Asked Questions

Misconceptions about modifying Michigan’s mandatory helmet law


· Registered motorcycles in Michigan

Q.) How many registered motorcycles are there in Michigan?

A.) There were over 261,000 registered motorcycles representing approximately 3.2% of all

Licensed motor vehicles as of 8/29/08 according to Secretary of State Records.


· Motorcyclists and MCCA

Q.) Do motorcyclists pay into the MCCA and how often?

A.) Motorcyclists, as do all registered motor vehicles, pay approximately $150 per vehicle which is credited to the MCCA through their insurance carrier. Because of the Michigan climate, over 99% of all motorcyclists have at least one other vehicle to which they pay that $150 fee.
Motorcyclists pay at least twice per household for MCCA coverage.

Q.) Do auto drivers subsidize motorcyclists under the “No-Fault” system?

A.) The “short” answer is NO. Because of the way that the “No-Fault Act” is written and considering that if only one vehicle has “no-fault” coverage, motorcycle insurance carriers have received approximately 6% of the MCCA funds while motorcyclists represent only 3.2% of the vehicles covered. Since motorcyclists almost always have more than one vehicle, this 3.2 % figure is doubled which makes motorcyclist payments a “wash”. Also left out is the fact that the majority of the time it is the car drivers fault. So according to the insurance industry the motorcycle victim is wrong for collecting on someone else’s mistake. On the other hand, bicyclists and pedestrians, who have benefited by receiving over 16-18% of the MCCA claims, do not contribute directly. As a consequence, car drivers AND motorcyclists subsidize over 16% of the MCCA funding for bicyclists and pedestrians.


· Insurance Rates

Q.) Will insurance rates go up if we modify our mandatory helmet law for “adult choice”?

A.) When asked the above question directly, Insurance Industry Representatives (Speaking before the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee) testified that there will be NO INCREASE in insurance rates with the modification of our helmet law. According to the American Motorcyclist Association and insurance industry representatives, there are no states in the nation that have increased their insurance rates with the modification of their states helmet law. Conversely, there have been no states that have reduced their insurance rates with the implementation of a mandatory helmet law.

· Helmet Law Modification and Public Burden

Q.) Will the general public pay for injured motorcyclists if we modify our helmet law?

A.) Motorcyclists are just as likely to be privately insured as any other road user. As a matter of
Fact, motorcyclists are slightly LESS dependent upon public funds to pay their hospital bills than the general public. A Harborview Medical Center study reported that 63.4% of the injured motorcyclists in the trauma center relied on public funds while 67% of the general patient population relied on public dollars during the same time period. The 63.4% figure has been selectively used by anti-choice advocates to “prove” the effectiveness of helmet laws while ignoring the 67% figure. Another study by the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center reported that 49.5% of injured motorcyclists had their medical costs covered by insurance while 50.4% of the other road trauma victims were similarly insured. Again the figure for motorcyclists was used to support a mandatory helmet law while ignoring the latter figure. This analysis refutes any suggestion that motorcyclists disproportionately rely on public health care funds to pay their hospitalization. Take into account that 6/10ths of one percent of crash involved vehicles are motorcycles, a very small number to begin with.

B.) When there is a car/motorcyle accident there is an order of priority in who pays No fault benefits.

1. The insurer of the owner of the motor vehicle, if none then
2. The insurer of the operator of the motor vehicle, if none then
3. The insurer of the motorcycles operators car insurance, if none then
4. The insurer of the motorcycles owners car insurance, if none then
5. The assigned claims Facility


· Head Injuries and the Helmet Law

Q.) Do head injuries increase when a state repeals its mandatory helmet law?

A.) According to the Wisconsin D.O.T., it was determined that, in fatal motorcycle accidents there
The percentage of riders dying from head injuries was the same (approximately 28-29%) whether the victim was wearing a helmet or not. A recent report from Pennsylvania showed that there was an increase in head injuries with the modification of there states helmet law. That increase was the same for helmeted riders as it was for non-helmeted riders. Along with this, the Oakland County Medical Examiner testified for a helmet manufacturer that there is no helmet designed that can effectively stop a closed head injury. Why are injuries/fatalities not 40% lower if helmets are so effective?


· The major cause of death in motorcycle accidents

Q.) Aren’t head injuries the major cause of injury in motorcycle deaths?

A.) The answer is simply NO. According to a nationally recognized accident investigator and motorcycle case specialist, the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents is multiple blunt trauma injuries specifically to the torso rather than the head. To complicate the matter, a rider may have several injuries that may have been fatal i.e.: two injuries to the torso and one to the head. In many jurisdictions, the accident reports require that only one injury be reported and that is generally the head injury. It should be noted that the Automobile Association of America (AAA) has indeed stated or implied that head injuries are the major cause of death in motorcycle accidents. Again, not true.


Q.) Comparing seat belts to motorcycle helmets.


1. Apples to oranges. One you are strapped in a device to keep you safe in most crashes. The other you strap on your body and is rated for 14 MPH.

2. The helmet test is the same one used for thirty years. Seat belts have had billions of dollars of testing and data to determine their effectiveness.

3. Seat belts hold you in a cage.

4. The car/truck has smashed your legs, torso, arms etc. while it’s moving toward the helmet.


IN SUMMARY

The Insurance Industry set up the “NO FAULT” system in the ‘70’s and even defended it in a Michigan Supreme Court case. They testified that NOT exempting motorcycles from separate PIP coverage would put the cost of insurance for so high that it would eliminate motorcycles from the road along with the jobs and businesses that go with it.

To ask motorcyclists to pay more insurance when they are the victims in most car/cycle accidents is somehow saying they are responsible. Other activities are not required to carry more or different insurance for their behavior. Mandated helmets are not required on pedestrians or bicyclist nor are they required to carry or buy additional insurance for not wearing a helmet although they account for one-sixth (1/6) of all catastrophic claims in Michigan.

Tourism is one of Michigan’s primary industries. With $4.00 per gallon or higher gas prices predicted for this summer, it seems motorcyclists may be the only people who can afford to come to Michigan to enjoy this state’s beauty. Ask yourselves how many “out of state” motorcycle license plates do you see? Not many! Yes the helmet law is that much of a deal breaker when you have thirty other states that allow adult choice. What do they know that we don’t?

ABATE believes accident prevention should be the goal. Our adversaries have not moved the motorcycle safety issue past the worn out helmet debate.

Motorcycle safety, accident reduction, and lower insurance costs can only be achieved through car driver awareness programs, stricter enforcement of motorcyclist licensing and endorsement, and maintaining and supporting motorcycle rider’s training courses.

 

Cool. Freedom of choice is what it's all about.

 

Helmets prevent low speed crippling sometimes fatal brain injuries. I know 2 guys who have had major skull fractures (10"+) by having low speed (under 20mph) accidents and smacking their head on the pavement. Both would have easily gotten up and walked away with superficial injury (rash) and gone home. Maybe hit the ER for light treatment & release

Instead, they ended up in SICU for a week at at cost of about $150k each. Then both were off work for 3-6 months in recovery. Fortunately, they both survived and both still ride. Only one of them wears a helmet and only because his OL said she is leaving if she ever even hears he took it off.


WTF? I was hit by a car head on going 30mph (I was going 30mph so 30+30=60mph impact) and highsided over the car landing on my forehead wearing a Bell500. I was knocked out but came to and actually walked into the ambulance. I went home that night with a concussion and broken bones.

But after all of that I still don't want the frickin government telling me what I have to do.

 

same here

 

The problem with Michigan is it's the only state in the U.S. that has unlimited medical coverage on the auto insurance. Your auto insurer pays the 1st $475,000 in medical bills if you're injured and anything over that amount, the MCCA (Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association) pays for the injured person the rest of their life if necessary including rehabilitation, handicapped van, making your home handicapped accessible and other benefits. If a motorcyclist is in an accident with an automobile, the automobiles insurance pays the medical bills. The MCCA charge which is on every auto and motorcycle insurance policy, is estimated annually. It's currently $143.10 per year and changes every year. So if you believe the scare mongers, there will be more catastrophic claims caused by riders who are severly injured, and the MCCCA charge will go up for everyone. So everyone who drives pays for this "rider's choice". Regardless, I wear a helmet for a couple of reasons: A friend that used to race bikes told me to always wear protective gear and few years ago a large rock hit me in the side of my helmet while riding. If I didn't have a helmet I almost certainly would've been knocked unconscious. That was enough to convince me to always ride with a helmet.

 

I'll believe this when I see it. This comes up every couple years in Michigan and gets squashed everytime.

I would still wear a helmet for most of my riding, but it would be nice when I'm running to the gas station or store to just be able to hop on and go.

 

"It's a personal liberty thing," added Rep. Richard LeBlanc.

I wonder if we can get the same argument for Seat belt laws.