REVISION: Repeal of the Helmet Law

Local physicians held a press conference on Monday morning to discuss the state’s consideration of a bill that will repeal the helmet law, which says that motorcyclists must wear helmets.

A motorcyclist is injured in a two-vehicle accident while the press conference was taking place.

About 50 Towson doctors, along with over 100 nurses, paramedics and other health care workers attended a press conference on the front lawn of Memorial Hospital. Doctors from Johns Hopkins University Hospital , Mercy Hospital and Greater Baltimore Medical Center also attended.

The Maryland State Legislature is considering a bill that would change the state law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets and many Towson physicians are not happy about that. As a result, they have unveiled a petition to legislators asking them not to pass the bill. So far, they have nearly 400 signatures and hope to have at least 500 by the time they sent it to the Legislature next Monday

Statistics show that the helmet law is doing its job. It also shows what will happen if the Legislature repeals it.

“The number of serious head injuries caused by motorcycle accidents in Maryland is over 70 percent less now then when the helmet law was adopted 25 years ago,” Dr. Karl Sodergreen said. “Reduction is directly related to passage of that law.”

“A study from last year about health-care costs related to motorcycle riding by the state medical society showed that emergency room costs alone could go up by more than 45 percent if the helmet law is repeal,” Dr. Hector Rivera said.

The bill will be considered by the Legislature next Wednesday.

As the press conference was going on, two ambulances raced into Memorial Hospital’s parking lot with victims from a two-vehicle accident. Ironically, one of the victims, 19-year-old Grady Smith, was driving a motorcycle.

Due to the accident, Smith suffered a broken arm and several broken ribs. Smith’s doctor says that his injuries may have been worse if he had not been wearing a helmet.

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Proofreading:

First things first, relax before you start proofreading. Take your mind off anything that may distract you. Then, you want to read it once focusing on only one aspect of the writing. Read it again focusing on another aspect of the writing. Taking breaks in between these steps may help too. When you read over something for the third time, you want to go over it and check for things that you may have missed the first two times. Forming study groups can also help because it is sometimes hard to proofread your own work.