Panel Backs Wider Pertussis Vaccination to Curb Outbreaks, Prevent Deaths

Abstract

universal helmet laws. In a telephone survey of 1606 motorcyclists released by her institute in September, about 75% of participants—including about two-thirds of respondents who oppose universal helmet laws and almost half of riders who rarely or never wear helmets—said they believe helmets keep riders safer. The apparent contradiction may be explained by a belief among some motorcyclists that they understand the risks of riding but do not want the government telling them how to behave. “If you are going to ride a motorcycle, the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe is to wear a helmet, and the best way to make sure people are wearing helmets is enforce an enforceable law,” McCartt said. Coben said public health advocates seem to face an uphill battle when arguing for mandatory helmet laws among motorcyclists, but he hoped the continued publication of valid research will one day sway legislators and the public. He noted that the cost of such injuries is borne not just by the involved individual. “The public picks up a large portion of the costs when riders are injured, so hopefully policy makers will look at the research and the cost to our government and do the right thing,” Coben said.