This page contains information about our elected official's voting records with regard to the inherently un-American Government drive to force Adult American Citizens to "protect themselves" by wearing motorcycle helmets that have been proven to cause far more harm than good.

Helmet Safety Info

A rebuttal of the Governor's reasons for vetoing HB2454!!!

JOHN A. KITZHABER, M.D.
Governor
August 8, 1997
The Honorable Phil Keisling
Secretary of State
136 State Capitol
Salem, OR 97310

Dear Secretary Keisling:

I am returning herewith HB 2454, unsigned and disapproved.

The bill would repeal the motorcycle helmet law for riders 21 years of age and older. While I respect motorcycle riders' desire to choose whether to wear helmets, maintaining the current law is clearly in the best interests of the citizens of Oregon. This is consistent with the public position I have held on this issue for almost 20 years.

EZ: True, the Governor has consistently been against Adult's (except for himself) right to choose what is and is not safe.

I am vetoing this bill, based not only on my experience as an emergency room physician, but also because the research clearly demonstrates that motorcycle helmet laws save lives, prevent injuries, and save public dollars. Helmeted riders have 28-73% lower death rates than unhelmeted riders and helmet usage reduces the incidence of severe head injury by 46-85%. States with helmet laws have death rates 20-40% lower than states without such laws. Helmet usage is 90-98% in states with mandatory laws, and only about 50% in those without. Unhelmeted riders have higher medical care costs than helmeted riders in crashes, and the majority of the costs are paid by the public rather than by the injured motorcyclist. If our helmet law were to be repealed, Oregon Medical Assistance Program estimates an increased expenditure of over $6 million of public funds per biennium to pay for additional health care costs.

EZ: The "research" quoted here was obtained via the most unscientific means imaginable. The sources for this "data" and the reasons for their lack of validity are described elsewhere in this web site. As an example, Dr. Grant Higginson of the Oregon Health Department issued a "study" that was presented to the Legislature and the Governor that "proved" that repealing the mandatory helmet law would cost Oregonians $2 Million per biennium in additional medical expenses. These "facts" were obtained by collecting cost estimates from California and Washington State and modifying them to reflect Oregon's differing demographics. When contacted by me, neither Dr, Higginson nor the Agency Administrator was able to justify their claims. Note that the Governor has increased his own Agencies "facts" 200%... I guess $6 MM sounds better than $2 MM, huh?
Furthermore, States without mandatory helmet laws experience about the same fatality per accident ratio as States that require helmet use. In fact, the fatality to accident ratio has increased sharply here in Oregon, since the helmet law was instituted!

In addition, Oregonians showed strong support for mandatory motorcycle helmets when they overwhelmingly approved the 1988 referendum by a 2 - 1 margin. The measure passed in every county. A recent poll conducted by an independent research firm has shown that the people of this state continue to support the helmet law by a wide margin.

The mandatory helmet law was voted in via an off-season election that wasn't even an election at all. For decades, Oregon has used low voter turn out "elections" to pony through levys, bond measures, tax increases and other unpopular measures, such as removing Adult Citizen's rights to choose. The "election" in question was one of the lowest turn out "elections" in Oregon history.

The Governor fails to state the source of this "recent poll". While the research may have been done by an "Independent" Firm, we all know that when a Government Agency wants a certain result to be "proved" by a research grant, the "study" invariably "confirms" the Customer's preferred opinions.

I will continue to oppose repealing the motorcycle helmet law based on my concern for the health of Oregon motorcyclists and my commitment to the judicious use of public funds. As I have stated in the past, the only way I would consider signing such a measure into law would be if those who are advocating freedom of choice for adult riders would also ensure that those exercising such a freedom also accept the full economic responsibility for their actions.

EZ: And the 60,000 registered Motorcyclists in Oregon as well as all the proponents of freedom in this State will work tirelessly to remove you from office, come re-election time. Count on it!!!

We will be back. And we will continue coming back until Motorcyclists all over America are returned their God given right to make their own choices in life. America one day WILL ONCE AGAIN be the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Sincerely,

John A. Kitzhaber, M.D.

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