Motorcyclist fatalities and the repeal of mandatory helmet wearing laws

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Abstract

Previous studies had estimated that repeal of mandatory helmet wearing laws resulted in increases in the number of fatalities ranging from nearly 40% to essentially zero. This study was performed to determine more definitively the influence on motorcyclist fatalities of these repeals. After repeal, motorcyclist fatalities increased more in the states which repealed their laws than in those which did not in 24 cases out of 26, with the 95% confidence interval for the average effect being 25 ± 6%. It is therefore concluded that repeals of mandatory helmet wearing laws for motorcyclists were followed by substantial increases in motorcyclist fatalities.

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An earlier version of this paper was presented at the October, 1985 meeting of the American Association of Automotive Medicine and appears in the Proceedings of the meeting.

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Presently at: Department of Psychology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798.

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