BATON ROUGE (AP) -- Louisiana should get rid of a law requiring adult motorcycle riders to wear helmets, a House committee voted on Tuesday.
The House Transportation Committee's approval moves the bill by Rep. Mert Smiley, R-Port Vincent, to the House floor.
Smiley's bill would require bikers under age 18 to wear helmets, but not adults. Smiley and others argue that helmets can contribute to crashes, by limiting bikers' vision.
Louisiana is one of 20 states that require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, a statute that safety activists say saves lives in accidents.
The measure moved forward despite opposition from James Champagne, former head of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, who mocked Smiley's position as "tantamount to believing in the tooth fairy."
"If you get into a crash, that helmet may be the one thing that saves your life or saves you from a serious injury," Champagne said.
Champagne was removed earlier this year from his job, a dismissal he attributes to Gov. Bobby Jindal's support for repeal of the helmet law.
Smiley said the state needs to focus more on the causes of accidents — inexperienced drivers and alcohol — not their aftermath. His bill would require those applying for a motorcycle license to go through a safety training program, beginning after July 1, 2009.
The panel approved the bill 10-5.
Comments
Posted by franklinnite on May 7, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I STAND BEHIND THE SAYING LET THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE!!I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR 41 YEARS AND IT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE RIDER TO MAKE THIS DECISION.I WAS AT THE CAPITOL WHEN GOV.FOSTER LIFTED THE HELMET LAW.IT FELT LIKE FREEDOM.REMEMBER PEOPLE WE DO LIVE IN TH U.S.A.AS FOR RIGHT NOW I WEAR AN ILLEGAL HELMET WITH A D.O.T. STICKER ON THE BACK OF IT.YOU CAN BUY THE STICKERS ON EBAY AND THE HELMETS ALMOST ANYWHERE.
Posted by bigdavebiker on May 4, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
we need more education in biker safty for cage drivers[automobile]. as a biker i know frist hand about bike safty spend money on them. not fighting with the ones that are riding. i don't drink and drive nor do i promote it. we don't need to be punished for others wronge doings. i need , no want to ride with out any resrictions. thats my choice.
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