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| - Frankel says 'the evidence is in,' citing doubling of riders' head injuries since repeal HARRISBURG, June 29, 2006 - State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today introduced a bill to restore Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet requirement for people 21 and older. "The evidence is in. Repealing the helmet law three years ago has led to a doubling of serious head injuries to motorcycle riders - an increase of more than 200 more serious head injuries," Frankel said. "This report and Ben Roethlisberger's accident should be all the wake-up calls we need."
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| - Frankel says 'the evidence is in,' citing doubling of riders' head injuries since repeal HARRISBURG, June 29, 2006 - State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today introduced a bill to restore Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet requirement for people 21 and older. "The evidence is in. Repealing the helmet law three years ago has led to a doubling of serious head injuries to motorcycle riders - an increase of more than 200 more serious head injuries," Frankel said. "This report and Ben Roethlisberger's accident should be all the wake-up calls we need." The increase is outlined in a new report from the nonpartisan Legislative Budget and Finance Committee. "We require adults over the age of 21 to wear seat belts in cars, and we should require adults over the age of 21 to wear helmets. The serious head injuries to helmet-less motorcycle riders are more than a private tragedy - all insurance ratepayers and taxpayers end up paying millions of dollars for the health care bills for many of these riders. We need to rein in health-care costs to make our state more competitive for jobs and to help families make ends meet. A common-sense measure like restoring the helmet law is a good place to start," Frankel said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released statistics in 2000, stating that helmets reduce the risk of death by 29 percent and are 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders. The study also showed that in overall per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists are about 18 times as likely as passenger car occupants to die in a traffic crash and three times as likely to be injured. Finally, the study shined light on an enormous decrease in health-care costs, as an estimated $13.2 billion was saved from 1984 through 1999 because of motorcycle helmet use. An additional $11.1 billion could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. Frankel noted these comments by Bob Flaus, head football coach at Pittsburgh Peabody High School, as reported in the June 13 Harrisburg Patriot-News: "Here's the thing. You play football with a helmet on, and you're running maybe 15 miles an hour. You ride a motorcycle in the city and you're traveling 35-40 miles an hour."
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