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Argumentative Essay: Should Helmet Laws Be Mandatory?

823 Words4 Pages

In 2013, 4,668 motorcyclists were killed and 88,000 more were injured on our nation’s roads. The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,630 lives of motorcyclists in 2013. They also say that 715 lives in all states could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. But opposers of these laws debate that this should be up to the state to decide and the government shouldn’t interfere. I believe that helmet laws should be issued because they save lives and reduce fatalities. Those who support helmet laws claim that helmets save lives. The NHTSA estimates that wearing a helmet will reduce the chances of an accident fatality by 29%. Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists without a helmet were more than 26 times more likely to die in …show more content…

The opposers of the helmet laws are saying that by requiring helmet laws, the federal government is trying to regulate an area that should be left to the states to decide. Congress is unsure of its proper role in deciding whether helmets should be mandatory. I disagree with the opponents because they don’t see the benefit of wearing a helmet. Placing a law will guarantee that the majority of riders will have to wear a helmet which will benefit riders by dramatically decreases the chances of an accident fatality and increase the chance of their lives being saved. These laws can even reduce motorcycle theft. Most thieves won 't be carrying a helmet with them so they’ll draw police’s attention on the road and possibly lead to an arrest. Most importantly is that it will save your live and it does that with physics. The use of a helmet and hitting concrete in an accident is a lot safer than without one and getting direct contact. A good helmet can act to absorb and distribute the force of the impact, and thus, lessen the impact on the rider’s head.Without a helmet, the skull itself cracks and, with the forces involved, the tiny bit of fluid surrounding the brain is not adequate to cushion the brain. Multiple studies show that the brain injury rate and the number of fatalities are greatly reduced when a rider wears a helmet. Studies also show that the weight or rigidity of a helmet has little impact on neck and spinal cord

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