One of the things Pittsburgh motorcyclists enjoy most about riding their motorcycles is the sense of freedom that comes with riding down the highway without feeling encased the way one might feel inside a car or other motor vehicle. Unfortunately, all too often that freedom ends in tragedy. Cyclists are 30 times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident than someone who is inside another type of vehicle.

But as bad as it is that thousands of motorcyclists find themselves killed in a motorcycle accident, another important thing to consider is the high financial cost of these accidents. The Government Accountability Office report revealed the cost of a fatal crash averages $1.2 million, and severe injuries can cost $1.4 million or more.

While the answer to saving lives and reducing injuries to motorcyclists, laws requiring helmet usage often varies between states. Over half of states only require the wearing of helmets for select demographics, usually those under 18 or 21, and a few states don't require that helmets be worn at all.

In 2010 it was estimated that helmets saved more than 1500 lives of those involved in motorcycle accidents. Still, even with the impressive track record of motorcycle helmets, groups such as the Motorcycle Riders Foundation reject anti-helmet laws, even as they advocate for cyclists to wear a helmet by choice. They believe that lives can be saved by better riding skills and a higher awareness from drivers of other vehicles.

While arguments can be made for helmets saving lives and reducing the severity of motorcycle accidents, it is true that fewer accidents would happen if everyone could be more careful, whether a law exists or not.

Source: Huffington Post, "Motorcycle deaths, injuries cost $16 billion," Joan Lowy, Nov. 27, 2012