Motorcycling advocacy
Motorcycling advocacy (colloquially "bikers' rights" in the US) generally refers to the belief in legal rights of motorcyclists, either as citizens or as motorists, or as motorcyclists per se, and to the efforts made to promote or defend those rights.
Advocacy is carried out by individuals and organizations. One issue often in dispute is mandatory helmet laws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, part of the Department of Transportation) has been the main federal government agency active in the debate over motorcycle rights for such things as off-road riding, vehicle requirements and helmets in the United States.
Helmet laws
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Motorcycle helmets greatly reduce injuries and fatalities in motorcycle accidents,[1] thus many countries have laws requiring acceptable helmets to be worn by motorcycle riders. These laws vary considerably, often exempting mopeds and other small-displacement bikes. Worldwide, many countries have defined their own sets of standards that are used to judge the effectiveness of a motorcycle helmet in an accident, and define the minimal acceptable standard thereof.[2][3] In some countries, most notably the USA and India, there is some opposition to compulsory helmet use (see Helmet Law Defense League); not all USA states have a compulsory helmet law.[4]
Advocacy groups
- ABATE
- American Motorcyclist Association
- British Motorcyclists Federation, UK-based
- Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations
- Helmet Law Defense League (HLDL)
- Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), UK-based group originally formed to fight helmet legislation
References
- ↑ The Effect of the 1992 California Motorcycle Helmet Use Law on Motorcycle Crash Fatalities and Injuries. Jess F. Kraus, MPH, PhD; Corinne Peek, MPH; David L. McArthur, PhD, MPH; Allan Williams, PhD. JAMA. 1994;272(19):1506-1511
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