Texas Motorcycle Helmet Law Research

However, there are those who advocate for freedom of choice in regards to riding motorcycles. For the opponents of these laws, the choice of whether to use or not to use a helmet is a freedom that shouldn’t be denied by any law. Use of helmets by motorcyclists helps reduce fatalities, brain injuries, and death in case of an accident (Hassan et. al. The proponents of these laws argue their support based on the aforementioned fact. Thereafter, the position of the opponents, those who oppose the existence of such a law, and the basis for the opposition of the law. This is the side that argues for the free will of the motorcyclists to choose whether or not to put on a helmet while riding and bike.

A Brief History of the Texas Motorcycle Law The Texas Motorcycle Helmet Law dates as far back as 1968 when the law was first introduced. Since then, the law has undergone changes mostly with the reduction of the age coverage and reinstatement at some points to a universal coverage. However, the coverage was eventually reduced to those under 21 years of age starting September 1st, 1997 (Bavon, & Standerfer, 2010). They argue that helmets use reduces motorcycle-related deaths as a result of head injuries (Branas & Knudson, 2001). Thus, the implementation of such a law helps in reducing deaths among motorcyclists by a considerably significant amount. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a helmet has the ability to reduce the possibility of death from a motorcycle accident in a crash by approximately 29%.

A helmet also reduces the possibility of getting fatal head injuries by approximately 40% in case of an accident (Eltorai et. al. Those against the Texas Motorcycle Helmet Law Throughout the history of this controversy, those against the helmet laws have cited the motorcyclists’ rights as their basis for opposing the laws. They have often agreed with the facts that helmets help reduce the head related motorcycle accident deaths. However, they have always opposed the comprehensive application of the laws. They argue that motorcyclists should be allowed to decide whether or not to wear helmets. They argue that a society that forces its members to wear helmets denies them the freedom of choice. References Bavon, A. , & Standerfer, C. The effect of the 1997 Texas motorcycle helmet law on motorcycle crash fatalities.