I'm still walking, talking, and writing because of my Shoei helmet, as a number of years ago, I was involved in a ragged crash in the mountains of Los Angeles.
It was my own fault, as while I was riding through one particular canyon at sunset, I didn't see a patch of gravel mid-way through a turn, felt my front tire slip, and attempted to pry the motorcycle back up onto two wheels. The resulting high-side threw me at around 20 to 30 mph into the canyon's rock face where I rag-dolled across until coming to a stop alongside the road.
That gymnastic routine resulted in a broken shoulder, a bruised spine and lungs, me sleeping in a chair for two months, and a concussion. I'm still paying for the crash all these years later, but it could've been oh-so-much worse, as the rocks I bounced off of gouged three 1/8th to 1/4th-inch cuts into my helmet. Without it, again, I'd be dead.
And my story isn't the only I know of from my immediate friend group, or even RideApart's pages, as our own Robbie Bacon nearly crashed into the pearly gates only for his Alpinestars Tech10 to save his, pardon the pun, bacon. Yet, despite the evidence, despite the research into how helmets make us all safer when we do "have to lay her down," people can't help but fight against helmet laws, as is the case with Nebraska.
But, wouldn't you know, a year after the state's helmet law was repealed, more folks are dying, more folks are hitting up trauma centers with serious injuries, and more people are getting hurt because they aren't wearing a helmet. Who could've guessed?
According to the outlet Kearney Hub, University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers could've, though they only became aware of the change in laws after more motorcyclists began entering their trauma centers. RideApart actually reported on Nebraska's change, however, last year when it was up for debate and when it was finally repealed. Clearly, they should read us.
Unsurprisingly, once they figured out what had happened, they wanted to know what the affects of the repeal were. After all, they only had anecdotal evidence. But once they compiled their findings at the end of the year, the affect that the repeal had wrought was clear. More serious injuries, more deaths. No shit.
"In 2023, nearly 21% of seriously injured motorcyclists — 29 of 140 — were not wearing helmets," states the outlet quoting the researchers findings, adding, "During 2024, the numbers reversed, with nearly 64% — 124 of 294 — coming in without helmets." Add to the fact that the ratio of motorcyclist deaths increased by 45 % year-over-year from 22 to 32, and represented a 22% increase "over a five-year average," and you've got some clear-as-day numbers that tell you a helmet makes you safer while riding a motorcycle.
Likewise, the UNMC researchers "looked at the impact on riders and on the health care system," which told that "the mortality rate for patients wearing helmets was just under 16%." And while the researchers stated that they aren't trying to tell folks what to do, stating that bodily autonomy is paramount, I will.
Helmets make you safer. By no means is riding a motorcycle safe no matter what gear you have, but they help reduce the risk of you killing yourself or becoming a drain on an already taxed healthcare system. Or worse, a vegetable. So wear a goddamn helmet, come back to your family safe, and don't freakin' die.
I like you all too much to not be blunt.
