Dave Gerber can’t remember if he bumped his head.
‘I’m really not sure if I did or not’I was wearing a helmet,? said Gerber, 55, a motorcyclist for about a decade and former helicopter pilot. ‘But anything you survive is a story you can tell. My story is, ‘Damn, I’m glad I’m alive.??
Gerber, a long-time area pastor, was on his motorcycle and stopped at an M-24 intersection in Oxford Township.
‘I was going to pull out onto M-24 and I did not see a pickup speeding across in front of me,? he said. ‘I hit my brakes and turned sharp and over the handlebars I went. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. But, I picked my bike up and off I went. They can change the helmet laws all they want, but I’m going to wear one. If I were to fall off my motorcycle standing it’s still hitting the ground at 13 mph.?
As soon as the weather warms Gerber is just one of thousands Michigan motorcyclist that will hit the road on two wheels.
April marks the third anniversary of making it legal for Michigan motorcyclists to ride without helmets. The law, signed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in April 2012, requires motorcyclists 21 and under to wear a helmet, and all helmetless riders must carry $20,000 in medical insurance. Mortorcyclists must have been riding at least two years. Today just 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, have universal motorcycle helmet laws requiring usage despite studies showing that helmets can help reduce risk of injury in a crash.
Since the April change in the law, the number of fatalities has declined from 129 in 2012 to 107 in 2014, the lowest number in five years. The data was provided by the Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, responsible for the complete, accurate, and timely collection, processing, and compilations of statewide traffic crash information.
Vince Consiglio, president of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) supports wearing helmets, but said it’s more about vaild motorcycle licenses and education.
‘Helmets do not prevent accidents,? said Consiglio, who rides about 25,000 miles per year. ‘It may help you or not. I wear a helmet when there’s less traffic or around the scenic area up north in Michigan. It really should be up to the rider.?
Consiglio said reducing deaths and injuries with rider education and increased driver awareness are the key elements.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Greg Glover, commander of the Brandon Township substation, has worked 28 years in law enforcement including road patrol. .
‘I’ve seen my share of motorcycle accidents,? said Glover, a former motorcycle owner. ‘Those accidents are usually fatal or at least busted up bad or losing body parts. Road rash, when a motorcyclist sustains abrasions from sliding across the pavement, is common and often very severe. Imagine taking a grinder to the side of your head. I’ve seen helmets ground down right through the plastic. I can’t even think about not riding without a helmet nor do I understand the mentality of some that ride without. Some think, ‘Why wear helmets? You’ll die in an accident anyway.? I’ve seen a lot of riders survive that had a helmet on.?
Riding without a helmet is not cheap, either, said Walt Renn, owner of Renn Insurance Agency, 1938 S. Ortonville Road.
‘Depending on driving record, the additional medical coverage for the required $20,000 medical coverage to go without a helmet will cost $200 to $300 more per year,? said Renn. ‘After the new helmet law went into effect we had a lot of people calling in to check on the price. Since the first year the calls have gone down a lot. Some riders just had the medical coverage added to their policy. Others said it’s just not worth it.?
‘My guess is that many are riding without a helmet that don’t have the required medical coverage,? he added. ‘It’s summertime and it’s warm out’face it, helmets are hot, so off goes the lid. Right now we have less than 10 percent of those covered carrying the extra insurance.?