News and Events

Health Headlines

Motorcycle Safety – It’s a No-Brainer

Pittsburg Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t think he would be involved in a crash when he took his motorcycle out for a ride on June 12.  But he wasn’t wearing a helmet when his bike crashed into another car, and he sustained severe facial injuries that took seven hours to surgically repair. 
“I simply believed such an accident would not happen to me,” said Mr. Roethlisberger. “I’m fortunate to be alive.”

For motorcyclists, summer is a great time to ride.  But for residents of Connecticut and 29 other states, it can be a dangerous time as well.  In these states, traffic safety laws either do not require bikers to wear helmets, or only require those under a certain age to wear helmets. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes, and cyclists who don’t wear helmets are 40% more likely to suffer a fatal head injury.

Backus Hospital Trauma Program Manager Gillian Mosier, RN, has seen her share of motorcycle crash victims in the Hospital’s Trauma Center.

“During my first few months in the Trauma Center, we lost four people between the ages of 18 and 20 who had been involved in motorcycle crashes and were not wearing helmets,” Ms. Mosier said.  In one year’s time, “we saw a total of 34 motorcycle crash victims in the Trauma Center.  Of the 17 victims without helmets, six died. But of the 13 victims with helmets, there was only one fatality.”

Ms. Mosier explained that some motorcyclists don’t like to wear helmets, especially in the summer, because helmets can decrease their peripheral vision, and because they can be very hot and uncomfortable. 

“Some motorcyclists just think that wearing a helmet isn’t cool, but it is truly not cool to be a victim of a traumatic brain injury,” Ms. Mosier said.
 Nationwide, fatalities among motorcycle riders have increased by more than 89% since 1997, and the largest increase in motorcycle fatalities was in the 50 and over age group, according to NHTSA.

Additional data from the National Occupant Protection Survey shows that from 2000 to 2002, when six states repealed their helmet use laws, helmet use dropped from 71% to 58%. 

But some states do recognize the importance of helmets in motorcycle safety.  This past April, Kentucky legislators approved a bill that requires children under age 16 to wear helmets when riding all-terrain vehicles.

The motorcycle helmet debate is complicated and emotional, but Ms. Mosier’s advice to motorcyclists is very simple — wear a helmet. 

“The mistake of not wearing a helmet impacts not just you, but your friends and family as well,” she said.   “If you are the victim of a traumatic brain injury, it is your loved ones who will have to live with the consequences of your actions.”