No Helmet Law

Living in Texas, I'm trying to adjust myself to the new laws, rules, and regulations that this huge state has implemented. All in all, I haven't been taken by surprise on many things until I came across the "No Helmet Law" regarding motorcycle drivers. In the two previous states that I have lived in, Alabama and Tennessee, the state required all drivers to wear a helmet when operating or riding a motorcycle. In a state as huge as Texas and with over 4 million people living in Houston alone, you would think that the politicians in this state would get something right. Well, I was completely wrong.

In my third week on the Trauma Floor, I have seen more motorcycle-related injuries, crashes, and deaths that could last me a lifetime. And I could put money down on the individuals not wearing a helmet at the time of their accident who suffer the most severe and life-threatening injuries.

Young teenagers who have a future in athletics, engineering, medicine, law, ministry, business, and astronomy had it all taken away from them the minute they drove that motorcycle without a helmet. I never dreamed I would see the influx of traumatic head injuries within a 12 hour span that would be devastatingly crippling to a the patient and their families. Individuals come through those trauma doors full of life and they are lying on the stretcher lifeless because they failed to put on the helmet to protect one of the most important organs in the human body, the brain.

Every day we round on the hospital floors assessing and documenting the status of each patient taking note of how well the patient is doing or how quickly they are deteriorating. Patients involved in motorcycle crashes not wearing helmets have gone back and forth to the Operating Room at least a dozen times within a week to stop the bleeding or perform painful skin grafts to repair/replace skin lost at the site of the accident.

In my opinion, it's not worth it. It's not worth losing your mind, your quality of life for a joy ride without protection over your head. I have nothing against motorcycles. Do I think they're dangerous? Absolutely. Do I think that they can kill you? Absolutely. However, there is a difference in being cautious and being stupid. Even though the law says you don't have to wear a helmet, wear one anyway.It's just like the old saying: "If your parents tell you to go jump off a cliff, are you going to do it?" The government isn't always right when it comes to matters of health care (Look at our present situation of dealing with the uninsured). And the government (Texas) definitely didn't get it right this time with instituting a law that will cause more deaths than they could have ever imagined. The amount of labor and man hours that go into saving an individuals life who plants his unprotected head into the pavement going 70mph can be spent on an individual dying from cancer or tending to individuals struck by a mass casualty.

All it takes is a little common sense and a little responsibility. With those two things, a lot of injuries and deaths could be prevented. Today, over half of our patients were motorcycle crashes and every single one of those patients has a long road ahead of them.

Wear a helmet. It doesn't have to be a law.