I did not want to write this article today. I'm sick of writing these articles, and I'm not even sure if they need to be written anymore.
I've been satirical about not wearing helmets, told personal stories of when a helmet likely saved my life, and countless other pieces. I hope reporting on this study can be the final word from RideApart on the efficacy of helmets when it comes to saving motorcyclists' lives.
The latest study attempted to put a number to how many motorcyclists died between 1976 and 2022 due to not wearing helmets in states that permit unhelmeted riding. The findings showed, "If all states had all-rider helmet laws throughout the 1976-2022 study period, 22,058 fewer motorcyclists would have died in crashes."
Bloody shocker, helmets save lives.
Again, reporting on this feels like flogging a dead horse, but if it changes even one person's decision not to wear a helmet, it's worth it. And apparently, this news is needed now more than ever, as motorcycle deaths in the US are at an all-time high, hovering over 6,000 per year.
If the remaining states that don't require motorcyclists to wear helmets changed the laws to ensure riders wear helmets, the study found it would reduce motorcyclist fatalities by around 10% in the US. That's 600 people. Come on, folks.
I don't really believe that anyone nowadays believes helmets don't make a considerable difference to your safety in the event of a crash. I don't think anyone is really that stupid, as the evidence is beyond reproach. No, I believe anyone who chooses not to wear a helmet is doing so because they want to, and it's a freedom afforded to them. And I still think they're idiots, verging on assholes.
If you choose not to wear a helmet because you feel better or think it makes you look cool, that's your choice and you're free to do you—just as I'm free to call you an ass for doing so.
Uninsured and insured riders who fall and get injured or die when choosing not to wear a helmet are driving insurance premiums up for the rest of their fellow bikers—not cool. And if you die, you'll put your loved ones through immense emotional suffering. But there's something that makes me think you're an idiot, verging on ass, much more than either of these reasons.
Motorcycle deaths in the US are at an all-time high, which are exactly the words that'll be going through parents' minds when their kids, the next generation of motorcyclists, want to get a bike. You can contribute to lowering the death toll and not have those words ringing in the ears of parents by wearing a lid.
In the words of Maude Flanders, "Won't somebody please think of the children?"
In the interest of total transparency, I rode without a helmet before in Thailand. It felt great, but completely not worth the risk. I was an idiot, and if someone called me one for doing so I wouldn't be offended—I'd agree. It's also worth noting that this study was carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety—it's funded by insurance companies with something to gain financially out of us all wearing helmets.
Although the study was funded by lobbyists, the methodology seems sound, and you can check it out for yourself here.
OK, now let me have it in the comments if you want or show your support to your helmet-wearing brethren.
