Since a state Supreme Court ruling nearly 40 years ago, wearing
protective headgear while riding a motorcycle has been voluntary in
Illinois. Despite the dire predictions of carnage on our highways
following that decision, the fatality rate for motorcycle accidents
is lower in Illinois than in California, which has a mandatory
helmet law.
Credit goes in part to an aggressive rider-training program
sponsored by the state and private groups.
To those not involved in the motorcycling subculture, the fight
against mandatory helmet laws may seem strange. After all, helmets
are for our own safety, right? Why such fierce opposition?
It's about freedom.
People wear helmets when they ride bicycles. Rubber mats surround
swing sets at children's playgrounds. In our automobiles, we buckle
up and are protected by air bags and crumple zones. We are becoming
a no-risk society.
That's a good thing in many ways. Reducing injuries and saving lives
are noble efforts.
But it's not so good in other ways. Part of the American culture and
character is that we are risk-takers. The bravado that sets us apart
from our European cousins is rapidly melting into childproof caps
and warning stickers on hammers, cautioning us to wear safety
glasses when driving a nail.
Europeans are fond of sneering at "crazy Americans." Perhaps there
is a touch of truth to that.
The mandatory helmet law debate is more than just statistics. In an
increasingly politically correct society, those who ride motorcycles
are swimming against the tide. The choice to wear a helmet is an
elementary aspect of that experience for many of us. The simple
freedoms that we are driven to protect are impossible to quantify.
Crazy? Yes, perhaps we are—crazy about our freedom.
Michael Kerr is vice president of the Motorcycle
Riders Foundation, a motorcyclists' rights organization based in
Washington. He is a Chicago resident.
mjkerr2@comcast.net