MLive analysis shows more motorcycle riders being hurt and killed in crashes
The most recent analysis of Michigan motorcycle injuries and deaths since the helmet law repeal in April comes as no surprise.  In the three months since Gov. Snyder signed Michigan’s motorcycle helmet law repeal, the injury and death rate has spiked, as less motorcyclists are wearing their helmets.
As a motorcycle accident lawyer, this was something I had predicted at the time the bill was signed and in the front-page story by the Detroit Free Press when I said more people would die, more people would be catastrophically injured, and it will cost all of us as taxpayers more.
Here’s the full MLive story by Jonathan Oosting: Motorcycle helmet use falls, injury rate climbs in third month since Michigan repeal
There have been 1,326 motorcyclists and passengers in motorcycle accidents reported by state and local authorities. And the rate of riders wearing helmets dropped as temperatures climbed.
Below are some highlights from the recent MLive analysis and Michigan State Police data referencing the past three months.
Injury and death rates for motorcyclists not wearing helmets
Those who were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash were more seriously injured and had higher death rates.
- Of the 288 riders who were not wearing motorcycle helmets, 25 percent were incapacitated and five percent were killed.
- Nearly half of the motorcyclists killed in accidents were not wearing their helmets: Overall, 33 motorcyclists died in crashes since the law took effect; 14 were not wearing helmets and 19 were.
- Of those 33 fatalities, 15 occurred in the most recent month. Eight of those 15 motorcyclists were not wearing helmets.
Injury and death rates for motorcyclists with helmets
- Of the 936 riders wearing helmets at the time of their motorcycle accidents, 15 percent were incapacitated and two percent were killed.
This data is clearly consistent with the stance our motorcycle accident lawyers have been taking, and that of many studies and extensive research that says bikers who are in accidents without helmets are more likely to be injured and die.
We do not like to be right about this one. We don’t want to see Michigan motorcyclists across our desks after they have been seriously injured, or their family members after they have been senselessly killed.
Please, do us all a favor and protect yourself by wearing that motorcycle helmet.
– Steven Gursten is a Michigan lawyer who has been helping injured motorcycle accident victims for nearly 20 years. He has received the highest motorcycle injury settlement in the state, according to published year-end compilations by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
– Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by MikeLicht, NotionsCapital.com
Michigan Auto Law is the largest law firm exclusively handling car accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident cases throughout the entire state. We have offices in Farmington Hills, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Sterling Heights. Call (248) 353-7575 for a free consultation with one of our motorcycle accident lawyers.
