Persuasive Research Paper
Andres Tenorio
Professor Laudani
Communications 1
July 27, 2014
National Motorcycle Safety Equipment Requirement
Everyday as we commute down the road we see motorcyclist drive past us. What is the one thing that we can all agree individuals riding motorcycles have in common? It is not a trick question. The answer is very simple; they all share the commonality of riding a motorcycle. What is in fact is very distinct however, are the choices of attire when operating their motorcycle. Some individuals are brave enough to wear shorts, tank tops, and sandals. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have some of the wiser ones that chose to wear a helmet, gloves, protective jacket, eye protection etc. Why the distinct difference? The fact is that a great percentage of riders refuse to wear the proper protective equipment. Due to an increase in motorcycle riders within the recent years, a national protocol requiring certain equipment, such as a helmet, to be worn when riding a motorcycle should be instituted. There are many contributing factors to motorcycle fatalities, however there can be a culture of change, specially with the proper knowledge on how each piece of safety equipment can help at preventing injury or death Every year that passes by, notice that more and more motorcycle share the road with our automobile drivers. We might wonder why there has been a shift in choice of transportation. Is this a trend or fad that the population is going through? According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, “National data from 1976 to 2012 suggest that motorcyclist fatalities track motorcycle registrations quite closely and that registrations track inflation-adjusted gasoline prices. If the economy continues to improve and gasoline prices remain high, then motorcycle registrations, travel, and fatalities will continue to rise unless active measures are taken” (Hedlund). Not only do we think there are more motorcycle riders on the road, they have proven this to
Professor Laudani
Communications 1
July 27, 2014
National Motorcycle Safety Equipment Requirement
Everyday as we commute down the road we see motorcyclist drive past us. What is the one thing that we can all agree individuals riding motorcycles have in common? It is not a trick question. The answer is very simple; they all share the commonality of riding a motorcycle. What is in fact is very distinct however, are the choices of attire when operating their motorcycle. Some individuals are brave enough to wear shorts, tank tops, and sandals. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have some of the wiser ones that chose to wear a helmet, gloves, protective jacket, eye protection etc. Why the distinct difference? The fact is that a great percentage of riders refuse to wear the proper protective equipment. Due to an increase in motorcycle riders within the recent years, a national protocol requiring certain equipment, such as a helmet, to be worn when riding a motorcycle should be instituted. There are many contributing factors to motorcycle fatalities, however there can be a culture of change, specially with the proper knowledge on how each piece of safety equipment can help at preventing injury or death Every year that passes by, notice that more and more motorcycle share the road with our automobile drivers. We might wonder why there has been a shift in choice of transportation. Is this a trend or fad that the population is going through? According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, “National data from 1976 to 2012 suggest that motorcyclist fatalities track motorcycle registrations quite closely and that registrations track inflation-adjusted gasoline prices. If the economy continues to improve and gasoline prices remain high, then motorcycle registrations, travel, and fatalities will continue to rise unless active measures are taken” (Hedlund). Not only do we think there are more motorcycle riders on the road, they have proven this to
Cited: Hedlund, James. "Spotlight on Highway Safety." Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities by State: 2012 Preliminary Data. Governors Highway Safety Association, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 09 July 2014. "Helmet Laws." State Motorcycle and Bicycle. Governors Highway Safety Association, 1 July 2014. Web. 06 July 2014. Morris, C. C., Ph.D. "Motorcycle Trends in the United States | Bureau of Transportation Statistics." Motorcycle Trends in the United States | Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Bureau If Transportation Statistics, 14 May 2009. Web. 07 July 2014. "Motorcycle Crash-Related Data." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 June 2012. Web. 06 July 2014. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorcycles: Traffic Safety Facts - 2008 Data (2008): 1-6. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA 's National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 22 June 2014. Watson, Tim. "What The Latest NHTSA Fatality Stats Reveal About Motorcycle Safety." Ride Apart RSS2. Ride Apart, 29 May 2013. Web. 09 July 2014. Workman, Danny. "Deadly Motorcycle Accident Statistics." Examiner.com. The Examiner, 28 May 2009. Web. 09 July 2014.