BusinessReport.com

Posted on April 23 at 4:26 a.m.

In your report: on mandatory helmet laws for LA you say "I don’t see where "choice" would apply... It is a safety issue. Your brain is better protected with a helmet if your skull hits the pavement—so use it."

According to the Louisiana Office of Public Health, 1,077 people DIED from a Traumatic Brian Injury (from head strikes) in 2004 [PDF - http://tinyurl.com/6abx8d]. Last year LA only had 1,877 motorcycle accidents total, and 93 died. Louisiana doesn't tell how many people in LA suffered a TBI, but if LA is comparable to Ohio, then you had 11,000 TBI's last year.[OH TBI's: http://tinyurl.com/4ycdoq at bottom]

According to Stacey Rye, Executive Director of Brain Injury Association of Montana, the average cost of a TBI is about $4,000,000 each over a lifetime [http://tinyurl.com/3n3dy5].

Let's say citizens from LA are only half a clumsy as people in Ohio: your total lifetime cost just for this years crop of TBI's would be $20,000,000,000 (billion).

Any successful businessman would cut their losses on the problem with the greatest cost::benefit ratio. Even a cheap helmet on the top of EVERY person in Louisiana would reap great benefit.

Ever watch "America's Funniest Home Videos?" Slip... Whoops! Head against the pavement, dock, dance floor or other non-movable and unforgiving obstacle. Funny, huh?

Can we expect you to be pushing a "Helmet on Every Head" law for LA anytime soon?

On Earmarks 'Louisiana style'