AMA position in support of voluntary helmet use

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has always encouraged the use of helmets, gloves, sturdy footwear, and protective garments in general, as part of a comprehensive motorcycle safety program to help reduce injuries and fatalities in the event of a motorcycle accident.

The Association will not oppose laws requiring helmets for minor motorcycle riders and passengers. It believes that many young motorcyclists and passengers may lack the maturity to make an informed decision regarding the use of motorcycle helmets.

Although the Association strongly encourages helmet use by all motorcyclists, it maintains a long-standing fundamental belief that adults should continue to have the right to voluntarily decide when to wear a helmet.

The AMA opposes provisions conditioning rider choice of helmet use on economic criteria such as, but not limited to, additional insurance coverage, which is based on the negative and incorrect view that motorcyclists are a social burden. The AMA believes accepting such requirements is contrary to the long-term interests of motorcycling.

The Association further believes that helmet use alone is insufficient to ensure a motorcyclist's safety. There is a broad range of other measures that can be implemented to improve the skill of motorcycle operators as well as reduce the frequency of situations where other vehicle operators are the cause of accidents involving motorcycles.

The AMA believes there is a clear distinction between the use of helmets and mandatory helmet use laws. Some view the helmet solely as a mechanical safety device, similar to seat belts. Many motorcyclists view the helmet as an accessory of personal apparel -- its use or non-use is connected with a chosen lifestyle and their right as adults to make their own decisions.

Regardless of the protective equipment worn, the accident-involved motorcyclist is at considerable risk. This makes it all the more vital to avoid motorcycle accidents in the first place, a strategy widely recognized and pursued in the motorcycling community. Mandatory helmet laws do nothing to prevent accidents.

Some will suggest that permitting mature adults to make their own decisions on helmet use creates an excessive burden for society due to healthcare costs incurred by helmetless riders. In fact, when the costs of motorcycle related injuries are examined in the context of the total social health care picture, the figures are not unusually startling.

The AMA is a strong advocate of motorcycle rider education, improved licensing and testing, and increased public awareness; all are measures proven to reduce accidents and improve safety. This comprehensive approach has contributed significantly to a dramatic improvement in motorcycle safety over the years. Such programs did not exist thirty years ago, when it was first determined that mandatory helmet use laws were the panacea for improving motorcycle safety.

The AMA believes that a common principle should be applied when consideration is given to mandating personal safety, whether it be for motorcycling or some other risk-related activity: adults are capable of making personal safety decisions for themselves. Society's role is not to mandate personal safety, but rather to provide the education and experience necessary to aid us in making these decisions for ourselves.

Claim: Injured motorcyclists are uninsured and disproportionately rely upon the public to pay for their injuries.

Response: Motorcyclists are just as likely to be privately insured as any other road user.

• A Harborview Medical Center study reported 63.4% of the injured motorcyclists in the trauma center relied on public funds to pay their hospital bills. According to testimony by David Gitch, director of the trauma center, 67% of the general patient population also relied on public dollars to pay their hospital bills in the same time period.
• A 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.

Claim: The costs associated with unhelmeted motorcyclist injuries and fatalities compel the enactment of mandatory helmet laws to save taxpayer dollars.

Response: The costs associated with the treatment of motorcyclist injuries account for less than 0.001% of total US health care costs. Only a portion of these costs are attributable to unhelmeted motorcyclists, the majority of which are paid by privately-purchased insurance. The remainder, spread across the taxpayer base (which includes millions of motorcyclists), is insignificant.

• Approximately 1.16% of total US health care costs are attributable to motor vehicle accidents.
• Motorcycles represented only 0.53% of the accident-involved vehicles nationwide in 1999.

Claim: Mandatory helmet laws are the most effective way to reduce motorcyclist injuries and fatalities.

Response: The most effective way to reduce motorcyclist injuries and fatalities is to prevent crashes from occurring in the first place. Helmets and helmet laws do not prevent accidents.

Between 1990 and 1999, the fatality rate for motorcyclists per 100 million vehicle miles traveled declined nearly 23% even though total vehicle miles traveled has increased 11%. Of course, there remains room for improvement. Several less personally-intrusive measures can be taken to make motorcycling safer:

• Creative motorcycle safety programs that promote licensing and testing can reduce accident and fatality statistics further. Nearly one out of seven motorcycle operators (15%) involved in fatal crashes in 2000 were operating with an invalid license.
• Almost 40% of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve alcohol. Alcohol awareness programs and "Dial a Ride" campaigns can drastically reduce alcohol-related accidents and fatalities.
• Two out of three motorcycle related multi-vehicle crashes are caused by the driver of another vehicle. The most common accident involves an automobile failing to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist. Motorist awareness campaigns and conspicuity programs can reduce the frequency of these types of accidents.

Motorcycling Facts

• Motorcycles represent only 0.5 percent of the crash-involved vehicles nationwide.
• Between 1990 and 1999, annual motorcycle crash fatalities per 100,000 registered vehicles declined 16% while crash injuries dropped more than 35%.
• Between 1990 and 1999, annual motorcycle crash fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled fell over 22% while crash injuries plunged over more than 40%.
• There are 5.7 million motorcycle owners nationwide. The average motorcyclist is 38 years old, married, college-educated and earns slightly more than $44,000 a year.
• Nationwide, over 120,000 motorcyclists completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Motorcycle Rider Course: Rider and Street Skills (MRC:RSS) rider education course and more than 9,100 riders completed the Experienced Rider Course (ERC) in 2000.
• Forty-seven states have rider education programs designated through legislation.
• The economic value of motorcycling in the U.S. was 14.3 billion dollars in 1999.

The American Motorcyclist Association has been in service to the nation's motorcycling community since 1924. Headquartered in Pickerington, Ohio, on the eastern edge of Columbus, the AMA is a not-for-profit organization with 270,000 enthusiast members nationwide.

The purpose of the AMA is to "pursue, promote and protect the rights of motorcyclists." Its professional staff of 91 and volunteer network numbering in the thousands provide a wide range of services and actions toward this end. From amateur competition to professional racing, from family outings to effective government relations, if it has to do with motorcycling, the AMA does it.

If you have questions regarding this information or other motorcycling issues, contact the AMA Government Relations Department at (614) 856-1900.

1999 Motor Vehicle Crash Data from FARS and GES. US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT HS 809329.

Traffic Safety Facts 2000 - Motorcycles. US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT HS 809326.

Traffic Safety Facts 2000 - Overview. US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT HS 809329.

2000 State Motorcycle Program Survey. National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators, July 2001.

2000 Motorcycle Statistical Annual. Motorcycle Industry Council.

National Health Expenditures. Health, United States 2001, National Center for Health Statistics.