Public Policies and Motorcycle Safety
Two universities in Florida recently analyzed the effect of public policies in reducing motorcycle injuries and deaths . The goal was to estimate the effects of alcohol and traffic policies on fatal and non-fatal injuries. Several striking conclusions were seen: Universal Helmet Laws About 489 lives could have been saved if helmet laws were in effect nation-wide in 2005. The large magnitude of this effect was unexpected by the authors of the study. Helmet laws dominated all other traffic safety policies, highlighting the importance of wearing a helmet to minimize the consequences of a crash. Mandatory Rider Education Programs Programs for training and educating new motorcyclists reduced non-fatal motorcycle injuries , according to result of the study. Higher Speed Limits Interestingly, higher speed limits on rural interstate highways worked in the opposite direction for the non-fatal injury rate. Fewer injuries resulted from higher speeds . One possible explanation may be...