More helmeted bikers dying in state
Larissa Theodore, Times Staff
06/11/2006
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State motorcycle fatality statistics:
2005: 205 - 106 wearing helmet, 87 not, 12 unknown.
2004: 158 - 74 wearing helmet, 70 not, 14 unknown.
2003: 156 - 118 wearing helmet, 27 not, 11 unknown.
2002: 134 - 95 wearing helmet, 23 not, 16 unknown.
2001: 127 - 100 wearing helmet, 16 not, 11 unknown.
2000: 150 - 103 wearing helmet, 24 not, 23 unknown.
Dennis J. Bischoff survived plenty of motorcycle accidents, but the last one nearly killed him. His motorcycle crashed head-on into a car and flung his body 50 feet from the bike. He was flown to Pittsburgh with cracked ribs and toes, his pelvis broken in four places. The pain was so severe, he thought his neck and back had been shattered, too.
He lucked out that day. The helmet on his head, he believes, is what ultimately saved him. Three days later, he walked out of the hospital.
"I'd be dead," said Bischoff, 42, of New Galilee, "if I didn't have the helmet on."
But Pennsylvania statistics, bucking the national trend, indicate that the greater number of biker fatalities are to those who were wearing helmets. And overall, the numbers of statewide motorcycle fatalities have increased since Pennsylvania repealed the mandatory helmet law in 2003.
From 2003 to 2004, the number of motorcycle-related deaths among bikers not wearing helmets jumped 60 percent, from 27 deaths to 70, and spiked to 87 deaths in 2005. The number of deaths for helmet wearers, however, dropped from 2003 to 2004, declining from 118 deaths to 74. Deaths for helmet users increased by 43 percent in 2005.
So far this year, three motorcyclists have died in Beaver County, the same number as all of last year. Fatality figures for this year were unavailable for Allegheny and Lawrence counties, but Allegheny County had 11 deaths last year and Lawrence County had four. Even more have been critically injured.
"It's up a bit," said Steve Koehler, forensic epidemiologist at the Allegheny County coroner's office, who says there were 91 motorcycle-related accidents in Allegheny last year compared with 85 the year before.
Steve Chizmar, a spokesman for PennDOT, also noted that the number of registered motorcycles and licensed drivers has steadily increased. Last year, 762,271 bikers held motorcycle licenses in the state, 9,930 more than in 2004.
With so many new bikers hitting the road, Jeff Harris, president of the Beaver County chapter of ABATE, American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, continues to stress the importance of motorcycle safety beyond a helmet or padded clothing that might not help in an accident. ABATE fully backed the helmet law change.
"The biggest thing that we argue is instead of preparing yourself for an accident, take a training course and learn how to operate your vehicle," Harris said.
Pennsylvania's fatality statistics don't mirror those of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, which reports about two-thirds, or 66 percent, of fatally injured motorcyclists in 2004 were not wearing a helmet in states without helmet laws. In those same states, only 15 percent of those wearing helmets died in accidents.
Pennsylvania's law allows motorcyclists 21 or older licensed for at least two years, or who have completed an approved rider safety course, to decide on helmets. Passengers 21 or older can also choose not to use a helmet, if the operating biker is qualified.
State lawmakers in Harrisburg are compiling a standard review on motorcycle accidents and fatalities. The House Transportation Committee plans to release the results this summer.
Bischoff never took a safety course but has been riding for years. Still, he says he's wiped out many times and the injuries run the gamut - bruises, gashes and sprains, at least 100 stitches, road rash to the face, and a scrape ripped away tissue, nearly to the bone. But, he's been lucky.
Dr. John Luellen, medical director of emergency services at The Medical Center, Beaver, who advocates helmet use, said "a whole spectrum" of injured patients roll through the doors.
Luellen was unable to estimate how many motorcyclists he sees who weren't using helmets but did say that injuries are usually much more severe for bikers who don't wear helmets, or other protective clothing.
Ruptured spleens, damaged livers, broken bones, brain damage, spinal cord injuries are a few of the common ones, and for many of these injuries, there is often no return, he said.
"I clearly understand the desire people have to ride, but in the best of circumstances, tragedy can occur and people need to make sure they're prepared," Luellen said.
Harris says he won't ever stop riding his motorcycle. And if the weather is nice enough, he won't be wearing a helmet, either.
"They're just uncomfortable," Harris said, "especially when you're out for a ride on a hot day."
Larissa Theodore can be reached online at [email protected].
http://s15.zetaboards.com/Triumph_Motorbike_Di/topic/73628/1/#new
Larissa Theodore, Times Staff
06/11/2006
Email to a friendPrinter-friendly
State motorcycle fatality statistics:
2005: 205 - 106 wearing helmet, 87 not, 12 unknown.
2004: 158 - 74 wearing helmet, 70 not, 14 unknown.
2003: 156 - 118 wearing helmet, 27 not, 11 unknown.
2002: 134 - 95 wearing helmet, 23 not, 16 unknown.
2001: 127 - 100 wearing helmet, 16 not, 11 unknown.
2000: 150 - 103 wearing helmet, 24 not, 23 unknown.
Dennis J. Bischoff survived plenty of motorcycle accidents, but the last one nearly killed him. His motorcycle crashed head-on into a car and flung his body 50 feet from the bike. He was flown to Pittsburgh with cracked ribs and toes, his pelvis broken in four places. The pain was so severe, he thought his neck and back had been shattered, too.
He lucked out that day. The helmet on his head, he believes, is what ultimately saved him. Three days later, he walked out of the hospital.
"I'd be dead," said Bischoff, 42, of New Galilee, "if I didn't have the helmet on."
But Pennsylvania statistics, bucking the national trend, indicate that the greater number of biker fatalities are to those who were wearing helmets. And overall, the numbers of statewide motorcycle fatalities have increased since Pennsylvania repealed the mandatory helmet law in 2003.
From 2003 to 2004, the number of motorcycle-related deaths among bikers not wearing helmets jumped 60 percent, from 27 deaths to 70, and spiked to 87 deaths in 2005. The number of deaths for helmet wearers, however, dropped from 2003 to 2004, declining from 118 deaths to 74. Deaths for helmet users increased by 43 percent in 2005.
So far this year, three motorcyclists have died in Beaver County, the same number as all of last year. Fatality figures for this year were unavailable for Allegheny and Lawrence counties, but Allegheny County had 11 deaths last year and Lawrence County had four. Even more have been critically injured.
"It's up a bit," said Steve Koehler, forensic epidemiologist at the Allegheny County coroner's office, who says there were 91 motorcycle-related accidents in Allegheny last year compared with 85 the year before.
Steve Chizmar, a spokesman for PennDOT, also noted that the number of registered motorcycles and licensed drivers has steadily increased. Last year, 762,271 bikers held motorcycle licenses in the state, 9,930 more than in 2004.
With so many new bikers hitting the road, Jeff Harris, president of the Beaver County chapter of ABATE, American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, continues to stress the importance of motorcycle safety beyond a helmet or padded clothing that might not help in an accident. ABATE fully backed the helmet law change.
"The biggest thing that we argue is instead of preparing yourself for an accident, take a training course and learn how to operate your vehicle," Harris said.
Pennsylvania's fatality statistics don't mirror those of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, which reports about two-thirds, or 66 percent, of fatally injured motorcyclists in 2004 were not wearing a helmet in states without helmet laws. In those same states, only 15 percent of those wearing helmets died in accidents.
Pennsylvania's law allows motorcyclists 21 or older licensed for at least two years, or who have completed an approved rider safety course, to decide on helmets. Passengers 21 or older can also choose not to use a helmet, if the operating biker is qualified.
State lawmakers in Harrisburg are compiling a standard review on motorcycle accidents and fatalities. The House Transportation Committee plans to release the results this summer.
Bischoff never took a safety course but has been riding for years. Still, he says he's wiped out many times and the injuries run the gamut - bruises, gashes and sprains, at least 100 stitches, road rash to the face, and a scrape ripped away tissue, nearly to the bone. But, he's been lucky.
Dr. John Luellen, medical director of emergency services at The Medical Center, Beaver, who advocates helmet use, said "a whole spectrum" of injured patients roll through the doors.
Luellen was unable to estimate how many motorcyclists he sees who weren't using helmets but did say that injuries are usually much more severe for bikers who don't wear helmets, or other protective clothing.
Ruptured spleens, damaged livers, broken bones, brain damage, spinal cord injuries are a few of the common ones, and for many of these injuries, there is often no return, he said.
"I clearly understand the desire people have to ride, but in the best of circumstances, tragedy can occur and people need to make sure they're prepared," Luellen said.
Harris says he won't ever stop riding his motorcycle. And if the weather is nice enough, he won't be wearing a helmet, either.
"They're just uncomfortable," Harris said, "especially when you're out for a ride on a hot day."
Larissa Theodore can be reached online at [email protected].
http://s15.zetaboards.com/Triumph_Motorbike_Di/topic/73628/1/#new
