Helmet Laws: Crazy, Awesome, or Nobody's Business?

Imagine you're cruising down the freeway on a motorcycle, and let's even say that you're traveling at the posted speed limit (65 to 70 mph, depending). What do you think would happen to you if your head were to separate from the bike? A part of me thinks that probably the result would be similar to this (sorry to be metaphorically graphic).

But I mean, really. Wearing a helmet even when I'm riding a bicycle seems like a no-brainer idea (excuse the pun). And those speeds are only a fraction of the speed that you're moving on a motorcycle! But, being that I'm an engineer, let's look at the data. Does wearing a helmet really do that much for you? Because, when you really think about it, while protecting your head is a good idea, what about your neck? Or other vital organs? Maybe wearing a helmet doesn't make that much of a difference. 

I don't know about you, but I was really surprised by this data. First of all, I was taken aback by the low number of people overall that die or experience a incapacitating injury in motorcycle accidents, helmets or otherwise. When you wear a helmet you have a 17% chance of sustaining a "serious" injury or death, and when you don't that number is 30%. While that is almost double the risk... it still seems low! But you can't argue with facts. 

Another side of the argument is whether or not it's a state government's place to tell it's citizens what they need to wear on their heads while they are riding a motorcycle. Shouldn't it be every man (or woman's) choice if he wants to have double the risk of being seriously injured or killed? Maybe it's a strategy to NOT be a vegetable. I don't know. But I do think it comes down to personal preference. 

But let's consider the flip side too (to be fair). If the people who are seriously injured by motorcycle accidents start to become a large amount of financial burden on the "system," then maybe it makes sense, from a system level, to institute a law which reduces that number. At the end of the day, you could argue that a government is sort of a business. But, since that is a total digression, I'll let it go for now. 

Another item to discuss is seat belt laws. I think it's not so much of a stretch to put seat belts and helmets in similar categories. If a state has a "click it or ticket" law, it's probably not too far off from a helmet law. 

But maybe, at the end of the day, the government is really just trying to do what it thinks is best. Maybe it is just trying to save people from the increased risk of death or serious injury. Yes, that is a possibility.  

Whether you want to wear a helmet or prefer to let the spring breeze blow through your hair, please, for the love of all that is good--wear more than this guy.