Legislation Introduced to Change NHTSA Focus Regarding Motorcycle Accidents
No More Pushing Helmet Use, Instead “Accident Avoidance”. What about inattentive drivers? From where I sit, the clear threat to motorcycle riders is inattentive motorists. Of course, there are always going to be single rider accidents, but I don’t see those being dramatically affected by anything that NHTS could do.
(Other than promoting track days). As a result, it is interesting that Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin has introduced legislation to prevent NHTSA from using its funding to lobby the states to pass helmet laws. Instead, he wants the NHTSA focus to be on "accident prevention". Clearly, I agree that we should not be funding one government agency to influence other government agencies. I choose to wear a helmet, but helmet laws requiring everyone to wear a helmet have been controversial since the first one was passed. Fifty plus years of experience with helmet laws has not produced a consensus, and I don’t see one coming. On the other hand, inattentive drivers cause more avoidable accidents than almost anything else. A steady stream of cell phone users, drivers putting on makeup, drivers looking at maps, drivers fooling with the radio or changing CDs, and drivers simply not paying attention cause untold numbers of accidents. I don’t know how to make drivers pay attention, but it seems obvious that continuing to supply the means for distraction is not helping.
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Legislation Introduced to Change NHTSA Focus Regarding Motorcycle Accidents