MINNESOTA MOTORCYCLE HELMET STUDY

Motorcycle data for the three-year period since repeal of Minnesota's motorcycle helmet use law in April 1977 are compared with base data from pre-repeal periods. In Minnesota, motorcycle helmet usage dropped from nearly 100% in 1976 to about 53% in 1979, with motorcycle fatalities rising an estimated 73% in the three post-repeal vs. three pre-repeal years. Motorcycle injuries rose 21% in the two complete years since repeal, compared to the two years before repeal; registrations rose 5.4% and licensed riders 21%. Using a simple statistical method, it was estimated that 89 additional deaths occurred since 1976 as a result of decreased helmet usage or one or more major unknown factors. Using the National Safety Council fatality figure, the total economic loss would be $13,200,000; using the Dept. of Transportation fatality figure, the total societal loss would be $25,558,575. The Minnesota data corroborate evidence from other state studies: motorcycle helmets do reduce the probability of death and serious injury. A significant percentage of motorcyclists strongly oppose the helmet requirement and reinstatement efforts have been soundly defeated during the last two legislative sessions. It is recommended that all motorcycle operators be required to carry a reasonable amount of medical payment insurance, and that states continue to improve and expand motorcycle safety programs. Appended are supplementary motorcycle crash data, a review of a 1977 motorcycle study in Minnesota (attitudinal surveys and observations of helmet use) and of other helmet studies (American Medical Assoc., Colorado, Kansas, and North Dakota) a discussion of legal and constitutional issues, and a state-by-state listing of motorcycle fatalities, registration, and helmet laws (1975 through 1978).

• Corporate Authors:

  Minnesota Department of Public Safety

  Office of Traffic Safety, 207 Transportation Building
  St Paul, MN  United States  55155
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 59 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic impacts; Fatalities; Helmets; Injuries; Laws; Legal factors; Motorcyclists; Repeal; Safety education
• Geographic Terms: Minnesota
• Subject Areas: Economics; Education and Training; Law; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00379678
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 274
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 30 1983 12:00AM