Optional Helmet Law Is a Disaster for Pennsylvania
1. September 4, 2003 was a sad day for Pennsylvanians. Governor Rendell signed the new motorcycle helmet law into effect, sentencing riders to death and increasing the tax burden caused by this new law. Pennsylvania is the 31st state to repeal its all-rider helmet law (Berenson 2). The new law states “no helmet is required for a person 21 years of age or older who has been licensed to operate a motorcycle for not less than 2 full calender [sic] years or has completed a motorcycle rider safety course approved by the Department of Transportation or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation” (Lobel 3). This new helmet law has increased accident fatalities and the burden on taxpayers.
2. Motorcycle fatality rates due to riding without a helmet are quickly rising. Nationally, motorcycle fatalities have increased 59 percent since 1997 (Motorcycle 1). Between September and December of 2003 in Pennsylvania, helmetless rider fatalities more than doubled, but fatalities decreased in riders wearing helmets (Wlazelek 1). Similarly, research done by the American Journal of Public Health found that motorcycle helmets severely reduce the presence and severity of head injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents (Rowland 4). Obviously, there is strong correlation between helmet use and the number of fatal crashes. The research done across Pennsylvania in the years following the repeal of the all-rider helmet law suggests that helmets do in fact decrease the risk of serious head injuries and death among motorcyclists. According to Judith Stone, increased deaths were enough for Louisiana to reject helmetless riding and revert back to an all-rider helmet law. Louisiana saw a 100 per...
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...aw Repeal Concerns Region’s Hospitals. 17 June 2003. 4 October 2004. <http://www.theautochannel.com/N/news/2003/06/17163264.html>.
Rowland, Jefferson, Frederick Rivara, Phillip Salzberg, and Robert Soderberg. “Motorcycle helmet use and injury outcome and hospitalization costs from crashes in Washington State.” American Journal of Public Health 86.1 (1996): 41-42. Proquest (general). Penn Coll. Lib., Williamsport. 4 October 2004. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb>.
Stone, Judith Lee. Special Commendation to Louisiana Legislature and Governor Blanco For Reinstatement of Lifesaving All-rider Helmet Law. 18 June 2004. 4 October 2004. <http://www.saferoads.org/press2004/pr_LAHelmet%20Victory6-18-04.htm>.
Wlazelek, Ann, and John L. Micek. Optional helmet law effect unknown. 30 August 2004. 29 September 2004. <http://www.mcall.com>.
In 1989, plaintiff Joseph Benning was cited for a violation of § 1256 for operating a motorcycle without wearing approved headgear in Caledonia County, Vermont. The statue states that “No person may operate or ride upon a motorcycle upon a highway unless he wears upon his head protective headgear reflectorized in part and of a type approved by the commissioner.1 The headgear shall be equipped with either a neck or chin strap.1” The County State’s Attorney dismissed the citation because he deemed the statue vague and unable to establish the elements necessary to prosecute the crime.1 However, the plaintiffs filed suit against the state, seeking to have § 1256 declared unconstitutional.
Allstate insurance is the second largest property and casualty insurance company by premiums in the United States. Allstate insurance handles about 12% of the U.S home and auto insurance market. (Allstate, 2014). Many of Allstate’s customers fall under what one could refer to as a traditional selection of insurance for automobiles. Recently, Allstate has noticed a major shortcoming in lifestyle insurance, which includes coverage for motorcycles, boats, and other recreational vehicles, in comparison to its competitors. The motorcycle insurance sector is a 10.4 billion dollar industry and growing (PRWEB, 2012). The U.S. Department of Transportation website reports some astounding figures, including that 5,370,035 motorcycles were registered three years before the article, 7,138,476 motorcycles registered at the time of the article, and grew to 9,477,243 registered motorcycles at the end of 2012 (NHTSA, 2013). It is obvious as to why Allstate would identify motorcycle insurance as a worthy lifestyle product to devote marketing research dollars into in order to develop new strategies for cornering a share of the market.
Millions of people all over the United States choose motorcycles over automobiles for the thrill, speed, and high performance capabilities. On the other hand, motorcycles are not at all the safest way of transportation. Motorcycles do not provide the passenger with the outer protection that cars provide, therefore, when one crashes, the results are usually much more serious. Injuries to the head are responsible for 76% of fatalities when dealing with motorcycle crashes many of which could have been prevented had the rider been wearing a helmet. For this reason, many states have adopted the motorcycle helmet law. The law states that every passengers must wear a helmet at all times when riding on a motorcycle. This law has created a great deal of controversy. One side supports the law, believing that it protects motorcyclists from danger and saves the economy a great deal of money. The other side argues that the law is unconstitutional and it violates our right to freedom. However, statistics show overwhelming support in favor of the motorcycle helmet law. Although wearing helmets cannot prevent motorcycle crashes, they can greatly reduce the number of deaths caused by head injury as well as lowering taxes, insurance rates, and health care costs. Therefore, the helmet law should be put into effect in every state across the United States.
While wearing a helmet can improve a rider’s chances of surviving an accident, it is not a failsafe. In a motorcycle accident, any evidence that the victim can gather is helpful in ensuring that the negligent, careless or reckless driver is held responsible. Hiring a personal injury attorney may increase the chances that compensation for the damages covers medical bills, especially when long-term care is
Every person who has gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle will be involved in some sort of automobile collision at some point in his or her lifetime. Traffic accidents account for over twenty thousand deaths each year and more than ten times as many injuries. There are a number of factors that contribute to these types of collisions, however, new and evolving laws can account for a large portion of successful preventable measures. In order for laws to be changed or added for the purpose of safer roads and highways, lawmakers have to first look at what factors contribute to such unsafe conditions. The top five causes of automobile accidents that cause injury are distracted drivers, driver fatigue, drunk driving, speeding, and aggressive driving. Laws can be proposed to reduce and even eliminate each of these risks.
Williams, A. F., & Lund, A. K. (1986). Seat Belt Use Laws and Occupant Crash Protection in the United States. America Journal of Public Health, 1438.
Across numerous sports in the world, helmets are a staple of safety. Assumed to be a benefit, most athletes do not consider the risks of a helmet; both mental and physical risks. Society tells us that no matter what; a helmet will be safer than being exposed to harmful elements. There is also the idea that helmets are beneficial, but the way athletes use them causes more injuries than if a helmet had not been used at all. This culture, using your helmet as a tool, encourages more risky behavior for helmet wearers. Adventure writer and pilot, Lane Wallace argues that football culture is to blame for current helmet use, and that helmets are beneficial in her article “Do Sports Helmets Help or Hurt?” In his article “Disposable Heroes”, Neurologist David Weisman reasons that the worst helmets might be a better solution than better helmets.
There is an array of key components and factors involved in making an organization a successful business. One of those elements consists on evaluating employee’s performance; this sole component is critical in determining how effective is the organization’s productivity and which are the necessary steps to ensure proper functioning. “The performance appraisal may be one of the few times during the year where an employee and the reviewer, typically the employee's supervisor, can sit down and have a lengthy face-to-face discussion about all aspects of the job” (Joseph, 2016). Employees’ performance assessment serves as an instrument to gather important information as to which areas of the job description are being performed according to standards
Have you ever known somebody who was injured in a car accident? What do you think his attitude about seat belts was after they saved his life? If you knew that a seat belt would save your life, you would buckle up! It took years of legislation and public awareness campaigns to make seat belt use mandatory. Now a new topic regarding public safety is coming to light: people are dying or becoming seriously injured in seemingly minor accidents on bicycles when the rider's head strikes the concrete. When the head is unprotected "the brain continues to move in a forward motion while the skull stops moving" (Macyko1), causing trauma. What is needed is a way to protect the brain "by absorbing the energy from the impact, buying extra time for the brain to slow down" (Macyko1). Bicycle riders need to wear helmets to protect their brains from injury, yet unfortunately the public is simply not aware of this need and many people will continue to die or be seriously injured unless something is done. Bicycle helmets save lives and should be required by Arizona State law for riders of all ages.
Clearly the overriding interests undermine from the mirror principle, overriding interests can be said to be the crack in the mirror. The register will only mirror the interests which are protected by registration and not the overriding interests which do not need to be on the register however now all interests will start to be electronically transmitted ensuring that rights will be created and registered electronically hence rights which have not been created electronically will not occur. Resulting in the register actually mirroring reality however there will always be certain some overriding interests which are necessary to protect the occupier’s interest.
This paper is being written to identify and provide demographic information on a population that has been through trauma and resiliency following motorcycle accidents. This population has been through some form of trauma whether they realize it or not. Some people deal with trauma differently. For example, many motorcyclists engage in drug and alcohol to feel most comfortable because they face traumatic situations on the road, daily. Many of the traumatic experiences are caused by automotive drivers. According to “Nolo” (2016), Crashes involving motorcycles and other vehicles account for fifty-six percent of motorcycle accident deaths. In the vast majority of these accidents, the car strikes the
Many reasons for this big change in sports related head injuries, mostly has to do with the protective equipment used and the regulation...
One of the special concepts in land law is of overriding interests. The standard practice in the English land law is all the interest and rights affecting or is binding over particular a land should be registered in the Register. However, the concept of overriding interest denotes that there are interests which are binding on the owner (the registered proprietor) regardless of not being formally registered. It was introduced because in that era it was though that it would be unreasonable and unjust to overlook such rights and interest enjoyed. Overriding interests need not be registration to bind the legal owner of the land. Therefore, if the land is sold to another person the interests and rights would not be lost. It can be said that overriding by nature are unregistered if they are registered they will cease to be an overriding interest.
II. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, bicycle related crashes kill about 900 people a year and injure over half a million. Most bicycle deaths or accidents occur between 3-9 pm, and most often occur during the summer months. We can prevent these numbers by: wearing protective equipment, obeying the rules of the road, and being aware of your surroundings.
There are several reasons organizations initiate performance evaluations, however the standard purpose for performance evaluations is to discuss performance expectations; not only from the employers perspective but to engage in a formal collaboration where the employee and the manager are both able to provide feedback in a formal discourse. There are many different processes an organization should follow when developing its performance evaluation tool; in addition essential characteristics that must accompany an effective performance appraisal process. I will discuss in detail the intent of a performance evaluation, the process an organization should follow in using its performance evaluation tool, along with the characteristics of an effective