According to the Washington Post, a recent Centers for Disease Control & Prevention study found that fewer motorcyclists die in states that require helmets, and the costs to society are lower too. The researchers looked at the total number of fatal traffic crashes, focusing on the years 2008-2010. The statistics included 14,283 deaths of motorcyclists. The startling finding was that about five times as many no-helmet biker deaths occurred in states with less restrictive laws. In other words, states that require helmets save five times as many lives. Motorcycles account for about 3% of the registered vehicles on the road, but about 14% of the people who die in traffic accidents are motorcyclists. Wear your helmet!

Washington Post. CDC: Deaths and Costs to society are lower in States with Toughest Motorcycle Helmet Laws, June 14, 2012. For more information on this subject, go to  www.cdc.gov/mmwr