Quit stalling on helmets for minors

Published March 12, 2007 at midnight

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We're usually leery of legislation that's proposed for the sake of "the children," but sometimes the shoe fits. That is indeed the case with House Bill 1117, which would require minors who drive and ride motorcycles to wear helmets.

It passed the House but is now languishing in the Senate, thanks to stalling tactics by Republicans and a few Democrats.

As a safety issue, this is an easy call. Federal traffic safety statistics reveal that 80 percent of motorcycle accidents result in injury or death, compared with 30 percent of auto crashes. Moreover, a 2003 federal study found motorcycle fatalities rose by 50 percent in Kentucky and 100 percent in Louisiana when those states repealed their helmet laws in recent years.

Still, a few recalcitrant lawmakers continue to conjure images of Big Brother. They say parents should decide whether their children wear helmets.

Nice try. But parents can't protect themselves or their kids from reckless or distracted drivers. Wearing a helmet gives a biker a fighting chance to enjoy a longer, healthier life.

And although motorcycles account for roughly 0.3 percent of vehicle miles traveled, nearly 10 percent of traffic fatalities involve motorcycle drivers or passengers.

Further delays are pointless. HB 1117 should pass the Senate, and soon.

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