Lawmakers Use Roethlisberger's Crash To Fuel Helmet Law CampaignPOSTED: 5:40 pm EDT April 4,
2007 Lawmakers and safety advocates in several states, including Pennsylvania, are heavily pushing to making helmets a requirement every time someone hops on a motorcycle.The new trend has been sparked not only by a spike in motorcycle fatalities, but Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's crash, too.Legislators as far away as Hawaii now point to Roethlisberger's crash last June as the headline that will serve to launch their helmet law campaign.In fact, lawmakers in nine states are breathing new life into the effort to require all motorcycle drivers and riders to wear helmets.The national group Abate fought and won the repeal of Pennsylvania's helmet law four years ago. One local member fears Big Ben's mistake might give helmet law advocates the ammunition they need."Let's go to the numbers now," said Bill Foley, of Abate. "According to the USA Today, there were 2,116 fatal motorcycle crashes in the U.S. in 1997. That number nearly doubled in 2004. That coincides with a drop in helmet use. In 2000, 71 percent of riders used one. In 2006 that number was down to 51 percent. The Allegheny County Medical Society will support any effort to change the law back and require those on motorcycles to wear helmets." Related Links: More County NewsGet RSS | E-Mail Alerts Copyright 2007 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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