Helmet Checks: West Michigan Motorcycle Fatalities in the Year of Repealment

[XLFD]

This thread will chronicle fatal motorcycle accidents in the West Michigan area (anything from Lake Michigan to State Highway 66)  and also look at two other instances:  non-fatal crashes where the rider says either: wearing a helmet would have made their survivability chances less, or that the wearing of a helmet saved their life.  If you see one annaled somewhere that is overlooked, please share it with BUMPS. 

 

1)  5-9-2012 Allendale  Fatality, wearing a helmet.

[XLFD]

2)  This Friday an accident occured in Wayland township that resulted in the death of a passenger on a motorcycle and the severe injury of the rider.  Both riders were wearing helmets, though it isn't clear whether the helmet saved the life of the one.  It sure didn't protect them from the allegedly drunk driver who fled the scene and is facing some serious charges. 

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/allegan_county/deadly-hit-and-...

[XLFD]

A lot of sad accidents during the first week of summer to report.  A Conklin couple died north of Scottville, through no fault of their own.  The driver was wearing a helmet, the other no helmet.

A Plainwell teen died in Barry County, was wearing a helmet, when he crashed his motorcycle and died. 

 

[AQUAMAN]

Upon renewing my bike collision insurance a few days ago, I was asked by the company whether I was going to wear a helmet or not, same with any passengers. Well, I said I've been wearing one for over 40 years now and see no reason not to continue to protect my head and brains on the road. The reason for this intrusion into my personal decision was to effect another $20K policy addition for medical coverages over and above the standard $5K inclusion now. The same goes for any passengers, minimum $20K in policy additions and extra $$$ for that insurance company. Personally, I don't see where that is anything but another intrusion of a new law by the State of Michigan, per her statement, that they don't have any right to know, or force me to tell them, either way. What do you bikers think about this nasty stinker of new laws on us?

[XLFD]

So, let me get this straight, even though you still plan on wearing a helmet, the insurance company now is dramatically putting your insurance rates up due to the new law(s).?  I believe the insurance company does have the right to ask you about helmets in the same way they have to ask you about air bags in your car, in that they can use their tables of specious data to determine your adjustment of rates.  But in reality, it is none of their fornicating business whether you always do, sometimes do, or don't wear a helmet.

[AQUAMAN]

X, the new law now permits the insurance company to ask you if you intend to wear a helmet, then add an extra $20K medical policy as such to your regular policy if you intend to abstain from wearing that helmet, same for any passengers. Like I said, I don't think they have a right to do this, it's my personal preference and rights to either wear or refrain from wearing it. I guess the one good thing is that they can't automatically charge the extra if you say you are going to wear/not wear the helmet, either way you would have to pay. I can see that coming in the near future if people want to lie about the matter, then later after an accident they find that person didn't wear the helmet afterall. Simple laws are becoming exasperating to the public like this one imo.

[XLFD]

I like the new law because it gives you the freedom to choose what works best for you.  As a cyclist, I will not wear a helmet on a very warm/humid day simply because of the safety problems dealing with sweat getting into my eyes and not being able to adequately deal with that problem. 

The weight of a motorcycle helmet can be magnified during a long trip at highway speeds, and can have the same problems as my bike helmet for sweating and vision.  No one can doubt that helmets can save your noggin from serious injury, but depending on the crash, sometimes wearing a helmet can actually create a more serious injury, in particular, to the neck. 

I'm going to look further into the law, and see whether insurance companies are just being opportunistic, or whether it was ingrained into the law to begin with. 

[XLFD]

Meanwhile, just a little while ago, 1 MI motorcyclist was killed and 8 more were hurt when a car crossed the center line in front of a group of motorcyclists over in Wisconsin.  The impact to the car was so much that the driver had to be cut out of the car by the local jaws of life crew: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/1-mi-motorcyclist-dead-8-hu...

Should such actions by drivers be considered by law to demand stronger sanctions than a civil infraction and a small fine paid to the State?  I don't see why not.