New motorcycle helmet legislation has been proposed and is in Congress as of February 14th, 2008. U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, who by the way rides a Harley, (that's her in the picture below) sent the legislation to Congress seeking more options for individual states to target one of the top causes of motorcycle fatalities in America---riding without a motorcycle helmet.

According to Secretary Peters, she is an avid motorcyclist, and she would like for each state to be more aware of the fact motorcycle riders wearing a motorcycle helmet are greatly increasing their level of safety and survivability in the event of being involved in a motorcycle crash. She was involved in a crash while riding her Harley Davidson motorcycle in 2005 and Secretary Peters credits her motorcycle helmet and riding gear for saving her life. "My helmet prevented me from being a brain injury patient when I crashed my Harley two years ago," she said.

The legislation Secretary Peters sent to Congress would allow states to use federal motorcycle safety funding to promote the use of motorcycle helmets. The key word here is "promote." This motorcycle helmet legislation DOES NOT require individual states to pass a mandatory motorcycle helmet law. Just that they promote to motorcyclists the practice of wearing a motorcycle helmet is the safe way to ride. From statistics compiled for the last few years Secretary Peters believes additional money is needed for states to educate riders concerning the importance of wearing a motorcycle helmet due to the huge increase in motorcycle fatalities. In 2006, 4,810 motorcycle riders died due to accidents. This is a 127% increase since 1997. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that motorcycle helmets not only saved the lives of 1,658 motorcyclists in 2006. An additional 752 lives could have been saved if all motorcycle riders had worn helmets.

With the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age many of these boomers are not content to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs. Large numbers are hitting our nation's highways, (literally), on their own motorcycles and this has resulted in a huge spike in motorcycle fatalities due to the boomers slower reflexes and many being over-weight than most younger riders. As a result they are "slaughtering themselves on the nation's highways in record numbers." The number of people killed on motorcycles who were age 50 and older has quadrupled over the past decade. 

Florida repealed its mandatory motorcycle helmet law in 2000 and this resulted in motorcycle fatalities going off the charts. Same thing has happen in Texas since the repeal of this state's motorcycle helmet law in 1997.

Secretary peters believes riding motorcycles on the streets and highways of America poses "our nation's greatest highway safety Challenge." This along with her motorcycle accident in 2005 has led to the proposed legislation sent to Congress to begin a comprehensive federal initiative to implore riders to educate themselves in safe riding practices and the importance of always wearing a motorcycle helmet and quality riding gear. Included in the legislation is rider education and training, tougher standards for motorcycle helmet certification labeling, law enforcement training, and road designs that consider motorcycle dynamics.