I can't really comment on tiered licensing as I haven't really studied it's success vs. failure rate in those places that require it. I have read that it doesn't really seem to work that well where it is in effect.
After the helmet law was repealed in Florida, deaths have gone up 81%. New registrations went up around 30%. The other side of the coin is that of those that live and had head injuries in a motorcycle crash, those that were not wearing helmets hospital costs were 100 times greater than those that lived and had a helmet on. While it is easy to understand the "it can't happen to me" attitude in a 16-20 year old, there are those in their 30-70s that do not wear helmets. Often, they are going to a bar to have a few with their riding buddies, then they ride home helmetless and under the influence. I doubt that any "rider" that doesn't wear a helmet goes on a ride hoping to die or become a lifetime veggie. You would think these older riders would know it CAN happen to them. An even bigger part of the crime is that they frequently let their passenger ride helmetless. My guess is that, in Florida, 75-80% of the motorcyclists ride helmetless. As far as I'm concerned, all this proves is that a great majority of the motorcycle riders are a damned bunch of fools. Fact is, with this ignorance displayed by so many, a mandatory helmet law is the only way to decrease motorcycle deaths or lifelong plants in the form of a human body. Invasion of our privacy? Definitely. Violation of our rights? Probably. However, the fact remains, the motorcycling public has proved most are stupid enough that they need a mandatory helmet law to be protected from themselves. In every state where the helmet law has been repealed, deaths have gone up dramatically. Facts: Helmets save lives, most riders are stupid. Do I believe in mandatory helmet laws? Hell yes.
After the helmet law was repealed in Florida, deaths have gone up 81%. New registrations went up around 30%. The other side of the coin is that of those that live and had head injuries in a motorcycle crash, those that were not wearing helmets hospital costs were 100 times greater than those that lived and had a helmet on. While it is easy to understand the "it can't happen to me" attitude in a 16-20 year old, there are those in their 30-70s that do not wear helmets. Often, they are going to a bar to have a few with their riding buddies, then they ride home helmetless and under the influence. I doubt that any "rider" that doesn't wear a helmet goes on a ride hoping to die or become a lifetime veggie. You would think these older riders would know it CAN happen to them. An even bigger part of the crime is that they frequently let their passenger ride helmetless. My guess is that, in Florida, 75-80% of the motorcyclists ride helmetless. As far as I'm concerned, all this proves is that a great majority of the motorcycle riders are a damned bunch of fools. Fact is, with this ignorance displayed by so many, a mandatory helmet law is the only way to decrease motorcycle deaths or lifelong plants in the form of a human body. Invasion of our privacy? Definitely. Violation of our rights? Probably. However, the fact remains, the motorcycling public has proved most are stupid enough that they need a mandatory helmet law to be protected from themselves. In every state where the helmet law has been repealed, deaths have gone up dramatically. Facts: Helmets save lives, most riders are stupid. Do I believe in mandatory helmet laws? Hell yes.
