Citation

Carter PM, Buckley L, Flannagan CA, Cicchino JB, Hemmila M, Bowman PJ, Almani F, Bingham CR. Am. J. Public Health 2016; 107(1): 166-172.

Affiliation

Patrick M. Carter is with the Injury Center, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Lisa Buckley, Carol A. C. Flannagan, Patrick J. Bowman, Farideh Almani, and C. Raymond Bingham are with the Transportation Research Institute, University of Michigan. Jessica B. Cicchino is with Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, VA. Mark Hemmila is with the Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Michigan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2016.303525

PMID

27854530

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of the partial repeal of Michigan's universal motorcycle helmet law on helmet use, fatalities, and head injuries.

METHODS: We compared helmet use rates and motorcycle crash fatality risk for the 12 months before and after the April 13, 2012, repeal with a statewide police-reported crash data set. We linked police-reported crashes to injured riders in a statewide trauma registry. We compared head injury before and after the repeal. Regression examined the effect of helmet use on fatality and head injury risk.

RESULTS: Helmet use decreased in crash (93.2% vs 70.8%; P < .001) and trauma data (91.1% vs 66.2%; P < .001) after the repeal. Although fatalities did not change overall (3.3% vs 3.2%; P = .87), head injuries (43.4% vs 49.6%; P < .05) and neurosurgical intervention increased (3.7% vs 6.5%; P < .05). Male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.65), helmet nonuse (AOR = 1.84), alcohol intoxication (AOR = 11.31), intersection crashes (AOR = 1.62), and crashes at higher speed limits (AOR = 1.04) increased fatality risk. Helmet nonuse (AOR = 2.31) and alcohol intoxication (AOR = 2.81) increased odds of head injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Michigan's helmet law repeal resulted in a 24% to 27% helmet use decline among riders in crashes and a 14% increase in head injury. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 17, 2016: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303525).

Language: en