Florida's Weakened Motorcycle Helmet Law: Effects on Death Rates in Motorcycle Crashes

Objectives: Effective July 1, 2000, Florida's universal helmet law was amended to exclude riders ages 21 and older with insurance coverage providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. Observed helmet use in Florida was reported to have declined from nearly 100% in 1998, before the law change, to 53% after. This study examined the effects of the law change on the likelihood of death, given involvement in a motorcycle crash. Methods: Rates of motorcyclist deaths per crash involvement in Florida for 2001–2002 (after the law change) were compared with those for 1998–1999 (before the law change). Before/after death rate ratios (95% CIs) were examined, and logistic regression models estimated the effect of the helmet law change on the odds of death in a crash, while controlling for rider gender, age, and seating position, and number of vehicles. Results: The motorcyclist death rate increased significantly after the law change, from 30.8 to 38.8 deaths per 1,000 cr...