Opinion

Helmet reference in crashes not helpful

Posted August 15, 2012 4:37 am

On Page 4 of the July 29 DuPage County Daily Herald, you ran an article under the headline “Park Ridge motorcyclist dies in crash on I-90” in which it was reported “He was not wearing a helmet.”

I have read other articles in the Herald about crashes involving motorcyclists with the same slant on the reporting, i.e., ”he/she was not wearing a helmet.” Why is this statement necessary for the article? I have never read a story about a car/truck/bus/train/airplane or other motorized vehicle driver or passenger involved in a crash “not wearing a helmet.”

Motorcyclists are not required to wear a helmet in Illinois, just as the drivers or passengers in other types of vehicles are not required to wear a helmet.

I am a motorcyclist. I wear a helmet and other protective gear when I ride. I do so by choice, not law.

We still have some freedoms left in this country, one of which, in Illinois, is to choose to ride a motorcycle (or drive a car) with or without protective gear.

I ask that in future reports about motorcycle crashes (unfortunately, there will be more crashes) you refrain from using the “not wearing a helmet” line unless you plan to start using said line in your reporting of auto crashes.

Mike Schrader

Lombard

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