Michigan Could Impact PIP System With New Helmet Law

Many men and women own and operate motorcycles. It can be fun to ride on a motorcycle and drive down the road and have the wind in your hair. However, in the state of Michigan there is a no fault car insurance law that may impact people who use motorcycles. Most people know that it is a good idea to wear a helmet when you drive a motorcycle. This is because motorcycles are open whereas cars are not. If a car hits a person who is on a motorcycle then they will likely sustain more serious injuries than if they would have been in a car and had panels and a roll cage around them.
The governor of Michigan who is named Rick Snyder has to decide if he will basically get rid of most of the motorcycle helmet restrictions that the state has. The bill that would accomplish this is called SB 291. The law would make it so that only motorcycle drivers under the age of 21 would be required to wear a helmet. Drivers would also have to take special motorcycle classes to get a license. They have to pass a course and have insurance coverage of at least $20,000 for medical care in the event of an accident.
One issue with allowing this bill to be passed is that it is a safety issue. Many states require drivers and their passengers to wear a seat belt because they know from crash tests that a seat belt can save lives in the event of an accident. Many motorcycle drivers are not very experienced and they could end up being seriously injured or killed during an accident. Most accidents that happen do so at 25 to 55 MPH. When this happens, a rider will be thrown from their motorcycle and can get a serious head injury. A helmet can cushion the head upon impact which can reduce the damage to the brain.
Brain swelling and bleeding can lead to brain death. By passing this bill, it puts more motorcyclists in danger. It also can have a negative impact on auto insurance premium rates. When there are more motorcycle related accidents occurring that have serious medical injuries then premiums will go up. When a state such as Michigan has a no fault law, it means that it will pay out unlimited benefits to accident victims for their medical expenses. People who are on a motorcycle and get injured can have extensive injuries to their bodies because they are fully exposed so nothing is cushioning their bodies. As most people have seen, health care costs increase every year so paying for these medical expenses under PIP can be very expensive.
By getting rid of these restrictions, more money will need to be set aside for PIP related insurance claims. It seems as though this law really does not help the greater good. Helmets are not very
expensive and not requiring them to be worn at all times by motorcycle drivers just hurts everyone involved. Supporters of the bill say that they have the right to not wear a motorcycle helmet because they have free will. Opponents of the measure have stated that they feel that these individuals are trying to get themselves special treatment and that auto insurance companies and their policy holders are going to pay the price.
Some supporters of the bill have said that a helmet does not save lives or reduce the severity of injuries. Many states have helmet laws for bicyclists and motorcycle drivers. One would stand to reason that having something hard on your head to cushion a fall and impact would help you and that it would just be common sense to use a helmet at all times.
The governor really needs to weigh the pros and cons of getting rid of all of the helmet restrictions because it will change lives. Members of the auto insurance industry have opposed the bill because they feel like it does more harm than good. Times are very hard right now and many people already struggle to pay their auto insurance premiums each month. If they have to deal with increases caused by the fact that motorcycle drivers over the age of 21 no longer have to wear helmets.
Motorcycle drivers really need to think carefully before using a motorcycle without a helmet. A motorcycle that gets involved in an automobile accident with a vehicle tragedy can often strike. It is a good idea to avoid using the highways if possible because vehicles are traveling at much higher rates of speed. It still stands to reason if the governor will sign the bill into law. There are people on both sides of the issue so making the decision might be a difficult one. In this case, personal freedom s having a direct financial impact on the state’s PIP system so the decision can be a game changer.