4.0 CONCLUSIONS

Both the design and materials used in manufacturing motorcycle helmets have improved throughout the 1990’s, resulting in a significant improvement in their effectiveness in protecting against fatal head injuries. Despite the improvement in effectiveness, from 29 percent to 37 percent, motorcycle fatalities continue to increase as riders choose not to take advantage of the protection afforded by helmets. The weakening or repeal of compulsory helmet use laws in many states has been shown to be associated with a dramatic drop in the percentage of motorcyclists who wear helmets.

Using the new, recomputed effectiveness to calculate the number of lives saved over the ten-year period from 1993 through 2002 shows that motor-cycle helmets have saved 7,808 lives, 2,378 more than was previously thought. Unfortunately, with the declining use rates in some states more riders are dying unnecessarily. If all riders consistently wore proper helmets, the number of additional fatalities that could have been prevented over the same ten-year period would have raised the total lives saved to 11,915 persons.

Policies directed toward increasing acceptance of helmets as a protective device can have a significant impact on reducing our overall traffic fatality count. Motorcycles compose less than three percent of all registered passenger vehicles in the United States, but motorcyclist fatalities account for nine percent of all passenger vehicle occupant fatalities. In recent years, passenger car fatalities have been trending downward – the annual rise in overall passenger vehicle fatalities is due to fatal motorcycle and light truck crashes.