Motorcycle Safety Task Force Unlikely to Recommend Helmet Law
Maverick - Nov 26, 2007

A weekly collection of newsworthy items for motorcycle enthusiasts...

 

Thirtieth anniversary for the world’s toughest rally!  When race vehicles leave the starting ramp in Lisbon on 5 January 2008, this means the 30th edition of the Dakar Rally will start. To this day, there is a certain mystique about the “Dakar” that is matched by very few other motorsport events. No other rally is longer, tougher, more strenuous and less forgiving. Year after year, professionals and privateers meet for this unique competition across Africa. Their sights are not set on victory alone: Anyone who manages to weather the cross-country race and reaches the finish in Dakar can feel like a winner.

 

Members can't reach consensus to ask legislature to change law.  Robert Kittle, with Channel 7 of Greenville, South Carolina reports that after months of talking about South Carolina's rising motorcycle fatality rate and what to do about it, the state's Motorcycle Safety Task Force is not likely to recommend that state lawmakers pass a mandatory helmet law.

 

"I think that the task force certainly supports the use of protective equipment, including the use of helmets," said Ed Harmon, who's been acting chairman of the task force. "But as far as supporting a universal helmet law here in the state of South Carolina, I really don't think that the task force will be able to come up with a consensus to recommend that."

 

The number of motorcyclists killed on South Carolina roads is 109 so far this year, already past the 106 who died in all of 2006. Of that 106, 73 were not wearing a helmet.

 

Those task force members, who are also members of ABATE, which stands for A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments, say they're not against helmets; they're against a law requiring them.

 

"We get bogged down into the statistics about it when it's really a freedom of choice," says Ralph Bell, a member of the task force and ABATE. "And if we can promote the use of it more and more throughout the news and different motorcycle groups, then we'll accomplish the same goal and we'll still keep our freedom of choice."

 

ABATE members want more motorcycle rider training, as well as a new motorcycle awareness program for car and truck drivers.

 

The opponents and supporters of a mandatory helmet law are approaching the issue of reducing fatalities from different angles. The riders are focusing on preventing accidents and say helmets won't affect that.

 

But supporters, like Harmon, say it's impossible to prevent every accident and helmets can help save lives when they do occur.

 

The task force does agree that the state's motorcycle licensing process needs to be changed to close a loophole that allows someone to get a beginner's permit and renew it indefinitely, without ever passing a skills test.

 

Kanetix, the United States and Canada's insurance marketplace, announced that instant online quotes are now available for brand new 2007 and 2008 models of motorcycles.

 

“While the summer riding season is over,” said Gregory Ellis, co-founder of Kanetix. “a lot of riders will start shopping around to see how much insurance will cost for that brand new bike they saw at shows or dealers, and through Kanetix they’ll be able to get up-to-date and accurate quotes instantly online for it.”

 

At http://www.kanetix.com you can get and compare insurance quotes for your motorcycle instantly online. Kanetix offers riders a better and quicker way to shop for motorcycle insurance. With just one visit to http://www.kanetix.com/motorcycle-insurance, or http://www.kanetix.ca/motorcycle-insurance, riders can easily get insurance quotes from competing insurance companies.

 

About Kanetix:

Launched in October 1999, Kanetix is Canada's leading national, online insurance marketplace. The Kanetix insurance information and shopping service brings consumers and insurance companies together in a one-stop shopping environment. Each day, thousands of consumers visit the Kanetix website to compare insurance quotes from a variety of Canadian insurance companies. Kanetix visitors can select the insurance quote of their choice and where available, choose to complete the application for coverage online or purchase their policy over the phone.

 

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