The highest courts in more than 25 states have held motorcycle helmet laws to be constitutional. The Massachusetts motorcycle helmet law was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. �From the moment of the injury, society picks the person up off the highway; delivers him to a municipal hospital and municipal doctors; provides him with unemployment compensation if, after recovery, he cannot replace his lost job, and, if the injury causes permanent disability, may assume the responsibility for his and his family's continued subsistence. We do not understand a state of mind that permits plaintiff to think that only he himself is concerned.� �Simon v. Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Myth�Motorcycle helmets laws violate individual rights. Myth�Age-specific motorcycle helmet laws are effective Myth�States will no longer lose federal funds if motorcycle helmet laws are repealed. This is the time to repeal helmet laws without penalty. Myth�Statistics show that fatality rates are lower in states without helmet laws.

Myth�Motorcycles are a small percentage of registered vehicles, thus motorcycle crashes represent a minuscule burden to society.harley crossbones for sale ukWhat’s the safest type of motorcycle helmet?dirt bikes for sale on craigslist in wv The variety of motorcycle-helmet styles, brands and fits on the market can get overwhelming quickly. 125cc motorbikes for sale in sussexThis should help narrow down the options: A full-face motorcycle helmet is the safest kind of helmet to buy.125 dirt bikes for sale qld This helmet will provide the most protection in a motorcycle crash, because it provides the most coverage and support. bmw motorcycle tours alps

Of motorcycle crashes that involve impacts to the head, 45 percent of victims suffer injuries to the face — a compelling argument for a helmet with face protection [source: Siler]. motorcycle dealers near hemel hempsteadDon't get tempted by style helmets, which look like full-face helmets except for the face part — the part that stretches across the chin is what makes the difference. motorcycle repair snohomish waHalf helmets are good for protecting the top of the head but not the back of the head or the face. It's pretty clear: More protection is better. Yet debate remains among riders. There always will be some riders who prioritize comfort over safety. Some motorcycle riders don't wear helmets at all; others prefer helmets with less coverage because they believe they're lighter or cooler. Some riders claim full-face helmets impair peripheral vision, although that has been demonstrated to be untrue.

Full-face helmets allow for 105 degrees of peripheral vision, and people only have 90 degrees of peripheral vision [source: Siler]. To choose a full-face helmet, first check for safety certifications. All helmets sold in the United States should bear a U.S. Department of Transportation certification sticker on the back. Some also have stickers from the Snell Memorial Foundation, a private organization that tests helmets. Consider the optional Snell approval a bonus, as many of its standards overlap with the DOT rules (but don't not buy a helmet that only carries the Snell sticker). A third standard, known as the European ECE 22.05, means that the helmet has passed the minimum European safety tests, some of which are stricter than American tests. An ECE 22.05 helmet is a great thing to have, but in the U.S. it still must have DOT approval. Finally, find a helmet that fits by trying a lot of them on. Your helmet should be snug enough that it doesn't jiggle or turn on your head, even with the strap undone.

However, there should be no points of pressure or tension. Don't get attached to a particular model or color combination: If it doesn't fit, it's not the safest helmet.Myth 1: Helmets impair hearing ability and significantly restrict visionHelmets do not impair hearing ability or affect peripheral vision. A study by U.S Department of Transportation (NHTSA) involving a total of 50 subjects indicate that helmets do not restrict the motorcyclist's ability to hear and insignificantly restrict lateral vision in surrounding traffic. The study concluded,No significant difference was found in rider's ability to hear traffic, either between helmet types or between helmet and no helmet.For any given speed, helmets did not diminish nor enhance hearing.The vision tests showed that the minimal amount of the lateral vision that is sacrificed by wearing a helmet can be made up by turning the head a little further. For most riders, helmet use did not result in a significant loss in the ability to see traffic or in the time required to check for traffic.

Any negative effect of helmets on rider vision appears to be very minor, especially in comparison to the protection offered by helmets should an crash occur.Myth 2: Helmets cause neck or spinal cord injuries.Some argue that any benefit in preventing brain injuries due to helmet use may by offset by increased neck injuries, especially spinal cord injuries. Many researches have proved that helmets conforming to standards and correctly worn do not cause neck or spinal cord injuries. For instance, let me quote the findings of a study on Helmets & Neck injuries in Fatal motorcycle crashes, There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet; helmeted riders had fewer neck injuries than unhelmeted riders.With a couple exceptions, helmet use had no significant effect on neck injuries in these fatal motorcycle crashes.  Helmeted riders often had slightly more injuries than unhelmeted riders, but the differences were usually not statistically significant. Helmeted riders were not at greater risk for spinal cord injuries, cervical spine fractures or C1-C2 subluxation / dislocation injuries. 

Soft tissue injuries in the neck – injury to the vertebral arteries, hemorrhage surrounding nerves such as the phrenic nerve or brachial plexus, throat injuries – were mostly unaffected by helmet use. Helmet weight did not  have a consistent effect on most of the injuries examined here.This is not the first study to find little relationship between helmet use and neck injuries. In fact, a recent review by the Cochrane Collaboration (Liu et al., 2009) summarized the results of 16 studies.  Only one of 16 studies they analyzed (Sarkar et al., 1995) reported a significant reduction in neck injury risk for helmet users; the others reported no significant differences.  Since then, Crompton et al. (2011) analyzed injury data from 40,588 motorcyclists in the National Trauma Databank and reported a neck injury among 4.4% of unhelmeted riders compared to 3.5% of those who wore a helmet – a 20% reduction in neck injury risk for helmeted riders.  Myth 3: Helmets are not required for short trips.