HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1468

BYRepresentatives Fisher, Winsley, Ferguson, Hine, Zellinsky, Moyer, Brooks, Baugher, Rayburn, Rasmussen, Doty, Sprenkle, Jacobsen, Leonard, Walker, Locke and Brekke

Requiring helmets for all persons operating or riding on motorcycles.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Doty, Fisher, Fox, Gallagher, Haugen, Jacobsen, Meyers, Prince, D. Sommers, Sutherland, Todd and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (5)

      Signed by Representatives Heavey, Jones, Kremen, Vekich and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Mary McLaughlin (786-7309)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 11, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Washington's mandatory helmet law was originally enacted in 1967 and repealed in 1977.  The recent enactment of the mandatory child restraint and seat belt laws brought about a renewed interest for mandatory motorcycle helmet usage.  In response, the Legislature enacted a mandatory helmet law in 1987 for all persons under the age of 18.

According to the Traffic Safety Commission's 1987 Traffic Collisions report, motorcycle fatal collisions decreased 3.3%, when compared to the previous 4- year baseline average.  Total reported collisions, however, increased 1.2% and injury collisions increased 1.7% over the baseline average.  Motorcycle registrations totalled 122,751, a decrease of 4.0% over the baseline period. The 1986 collision rate for every 100 vehicles registered was up 5.4% (2.86) when compared to the baseline rate of 2.71 collisions for every 100 motorcycles registered.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is no evidence that helmet laws that apply only to young riders reduce deaths and injuries.  In states with such laws, 32% of the motorcyclists killed in crashes are 21 years old or younger.  The same percentage holds true for this same age group in states without helmet use laws.

Nineteen states require all riders to wear helmets; 23 states have a minimum age requirement (usually under the age of 18).  The only western state that requires all riders to wear a helmet is Nevada.  California has a mandatory helmet law for riders under 15-1/2 years of age.

SUMMARY:

Washington's mandatory use of motorcycle helmets is expanded to include all motorcycle operators and passengers.  The responsibility for helmet rules and equipment standards is transferred from the Commission on Equipment to the State Patrol.  (The Commission on Equipment is now the Equipment Standards Review Section in the State Patrol).

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Chuck Hayes, Washington Traffic Safety Commission; Captain Rick Jensen, Washington State Patrol; Dr. Robert Lang, Washington State Medical Association; Dr. Ronald Maier, Harborview Medical Center; Dr. John Henry Sloan, Harborview Medical Center.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Ellen "Slick" Grus, Rider of Washington; Robin Torner, ABATE of Washington; Carl Verduin, Bike Pack of Washington.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The mandatory use of helmets is aimed at reducing head injuries.  A helmet reduces the forces of impact on the brain stem.  The cost of medical treatment and rehabilitation for head injury victims could be reduced through a mandatory helmet law.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      Helmet manufacturers do not guarantee their product for more than one year.  A mandatory helmet requirement is beyond the purview of the government.  The use of a helmet should be a matter of personal choice.  Voluntary education is a more effective tool.