During his testimony, Senator DeLuca told the Transportation Committee about a Woodbury resident who was involved in a freak collision with a wild deer while riding his motorcycle. The motorcyclist, an experienced rider, was not wearing a helmet and perished. This incident and an analysis of motorcycle fatality statistics convinced Senator DeLuca that Connecticut was ready for a helmet law.

“I have been opposed to this kind of legislation for many years, but the incident with the Woodbury man gave me an understanding of why this law might actually do a great deal of good,” said Senator DeLuca.

“We already require seatbelt use in automobiles and safety helmets for minors who ride motorcycles,” added Senator DeLuca. “This is not some kind of outrageous new mandate. To me, motorcycle helmets are a common sense safety measure, and requiring them to be worn in Connecticut does not amount to an assault on personal freedoms.”

Senator DeLuca provided the Transportation Committee members with several statistics in support of enacting the helmet law. These included:

· Motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of fatality in a crash by 29% (Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
· Motorcycle Helmets are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries, and un-helmeted motorcyclists are three times more likely to suffer brain injury than those using helmets (Source: Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System)
· Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont have already enacted helmet law