March 25, 2010 

Contacts:  Vince Consiglio – ABATE of Michigan Pres. – 248-672-0957

                  Jim Rhoades – ABATE of Michigan Legislative Director – 734-578-6144

Motorcycle Helmet Law Modification Bill passes House – Set  for Senate

By a vote of 63 to 46, HB-4747 to modify Michigan’s mandatory motorcycle helmet law for adult choice was passed from the State House of Representatives.  It will now go to the Senate where it is also expected to pass.

“It’s time to modify Michigan’s mandatory helmet law to bring it in line with all of the other Great Lakes States who offer this choice”, according to State Representative Richard LeBlanc (D) Westland.  A total of 30 states nationwide presently have this option.

The facts are that doing so would not increase fatality rates nor increase insurance rates, as pro-helmet law advocates would lead the general public to believe.  In addition, modifying the law would bring in an estimated $1.2 billion to Michigan’s hard hit economy through increased tourism, tax revenue, and new motorcycle related business.

Fatality rates are lower in states that have modified their helmet laws.  According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, fatality rates over the last 30 years have been virtually the same or slightly lower for freedom of choice states versus mandatory helmet law states.

According to Jim Rhoades, ABATE of Michigan Legislative Director and motorcycle safety instructor, “There has not been one state that has seen an increase in insurance rates after they modified their helmet law. More importantly, there has been no decrease in insurance rates with the implementation of a mandatory helmet law.  Simply claiming that this will happen, as opponents of HB-4747 do, doesn’t make it so”.  Rhoades added, “Insurance industry representatives testified a few years ago in Senate hearings that insurance rates would not go up if we modified our helmet laws and are now changing their story”.

Vince Consiglio, ABATE of Michigan President and motorcycle safety instructor and Coach/ Trainer, stated “Education of both the motorcyclist and of car drivers is the key to reducing car/cycle accidents and thus reducing injuries and fatalities”.

In these tough times, considering the economic benefit of HB-4747 and considering the aforementioned facts on motorcycle accidents and fatalities, its time for consider the actions of 30 other states and modify Michigan’s mandatory helmet law for adult choice.