Kristen J. Mertz ^1* Harold B. Weiss ²

¹ University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
² University of Pittsburgh, Center for Injury Research and Control

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mertzk{at}edc.pitt.edu.

	Abstract

To evaluate the 2003 repeal of Pennsylvania’s motorcycle helmet law, we assessed changes in helmet use and compared motorcycle-related head injuries with nonhead injuries from 2001–2002 to 2004–2005. Helmet use among riders in crashes decreased from 82% to 58%. Head injury deaths increased 66%; nonhead injury deaths increased 25%. Motorcycle-related head injury hospitalizations increased 78% compared with 28% for nonhead injury hospitalizations. Helmet law repeals jeopardize motorcycle riders. Until repeals are reversed, states need voluntary strategies to increase helmet use.

Key Words: Epidemiology, Injury/Emergency Care/Violence, Mortality