Jun 13, 2008 12:05 am US/Eastern
Study: Pa. Biker Deaths, Injuries Increased
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
A study by the University of Pittsburgh finds that motorcycle deaths and head injuries have increased since Pennsylvania repealed its helmet law.
The study concludes that in the two years since the helmet law was repealed, head injury deaths for motorcyclists were up 32 percent.
Head-related hospitalizations increased 42 percent. At the same time, helmet use was down.
But a motorcycle group points to a state Department of Transportation study that claims motorcycle deaths are down since the helmet law was repealed.
How can the studies be so different?
"They didn't look at specifically at head-related injuries," Hank Weiss, of the University of Pittsburgh, said. "They looked at all deaths, all motorcycle-related deaths, and we targeted specifically that which helmets are meant to protect."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
