Helmet law would save lives, money

By Olivia Lofgren, Leah Murray and Caroline Van Voorhis

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The day Caroline Found left us, our lives changed forever. On Aug. 11, 2011, Caroline died in a moped accident. She wasn't wearing a helmet.

To channel the negative energy from the loss of our dear friend, we created Hope for a Helmet, a group dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of helmet use and to remembering the friend we lost. Over the past year, our group, with the help of many others, submitted proposed bills to both the Iowa House and Senate that called for all moped riders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet. While our battle at the state capitol culminated with a public hearing in front of the Senate Transportation Committee, legislators ultimately failed to pass our under-18 moped helmet law on to the full Senate.

We are heading off to colleges that are hundreds of miles from one another. We are leaving behind our families and the friends we have made over the past 18 years. We will be meeting new people, having new experiences and facing fears and challenges on our own.

You may think that our helmet law efforts are far from our minds. However, just the opposite is true.

With the summer weather still with us, people are out cruising on their mopeds and motorcycles more than ever. We see helmetless riders pass us on the streets several times a day. We read frequent articles about the accidents that have taken place, the injuries sustained and, unfortunately, the deaths that have occurred.

These experiences, along with knowledge gained by reading a recently published federal Centers for Disease Control article stating that the use of helmets reduces the costs to society, makes it increasingly frustrating to know that Iowa is one of three states that have no helmet laws whatsoever.

This study states that, in 2010, approximately $3 billion was saved on medical expenses and lost work productivity as a result of helmet use in the United States. However, another $1.4 billion could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.

Although our lives are about to undergo major transformations as we head off to college, there is one thing that will not change; our strong belief that Iowa needs a helmet law. A law would save lives and money, and just makes common sense.

Olivia Lofgren, Leah Murray and Caroline Van Voorhis are graduates of Iowa City West High School. Comments: helmetlaw.iowa@gmail.com