Changes in motorcycle-related head injury deaths, hospitalizations, and hospital charges following repeal of Pennsylvania's mandatory motorcycle helmet law |
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Authors: | Mertz Kristen J Weiss Harold B |
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Affiliation: | Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 512B Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. mertzk@edc.pitt.edu |
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Abstract: | To evaluate the 2003 repeal of Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet law, we assessed changes in helmet use and compared motorcycle-related head injuries with non-head injuries from 2001-2002 to 2004-2005. Helmet use among riders in crashes decreased from 82% to 58%. Head injury deaths increased 66%; nonhead injury deaths increased 25%. Motorcycle-related head injury hospitalizations increased 78% compared with 28% for nonhead injury hospitalizations. Helmet law repeals jeopardize motorcycle riders. Until repeals are reversed, states need voluntary strategies to increase helmet use. |
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