| First, thank you to Carol
Martin for getting the information out to me. After
some confusion over a mailing address, the paperwork
arrived post haste.
The Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 218 as adopted by WAC 204-10-040 says that the liner should be of firm polystyrene foam that is about one inch thick and has a sturdy chin strap with solid rivets. The labeling requirements on the inside of the helmet include manufacturer’s name and ID, model, size, month and year of manufacture. Novelty helmets generally come with a sticker that says DOT that you can put on the helmet. So, a DOT sticker is no guarantee that the helmet meets the standards set forth by the Fed’s. If a helmet appears to have a thick padding and riveted chin strap, and if the weight is about 3 pounds or more, then the chances that it is legal are pretty good. Snell and/or ANSI stickers are another factor to consider as novelty helmets don’t bother to sport these. A full face helmet is another indicator because novelties don’t lend themselves to this style. There are rumors out there that since States will no longer be getting money from the government for keeping helmet laws in place, the financial reasons are slowly disappearing. The insurance companies continue to complain about the high cost of motorcycle injuries. In 1998, 84,000 pedestrians suffered from accidental injuries; motor vehicles accounted for 3,192,000 accidental injuries; playground equipment accounted for 200,000 injuries; and motorcycles for 45,000 injuries.
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I’ve heard conflicting
reports on whether motorcycle accidents are mostly
single vehicle or are caused by motorists. My personal
experience with friends, and myself, has been that
motorcycle accidents were caused by a motorist. My
husband’s cousin was killed by a drunken driver at 6
am while on his way to work; my sister was sitting at
a stop light and was struck by a motorist who never
slowed down (miraculously, she was not killed, though
she flew and the bike landed on her, she escaped with
broken ribs and her life intact); another friend was
found with a stop sign through his gut, also
miraculously not killed; about 26 years ago I was on
the back of my then-boyfriend’s bike when we were
struck by a car as it turned in front of us on it’s
way into a liquor store parking lot. The list goes on.
The same story… the motorists swear they didn’t
see the bikes, and oh yeah… we were all wearing
helmets at the time of the accidents. I know most of
you have similar stories.
Speaking as the Safety Officer, adherence to the law is important from not only a legal standpoint, but from a safety issue. Helmets are only a device to help protect your head. The best defense is safe riding skills. Knowing what to watch for, what to do in case of an emergency, being visible, that’s what is ultimately needed for safety. Sounds like the lead-in to another article to me. So, till next month; ride safe, think safety, have fun!
(Published in June 2001 "Hog
Call" by Jackie S.) |