FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
51 Percent for Bush,
48 Percent for Kerry,
50 Percent for
Motorcycle Helmets
November 4, 2004
Pat Hahn,
651-282-2916
2004 Motorcycle “Helmet Challenge”
Yields Positive
Results
ST. PAUL–Motorcycle helmets have an approval rating better than most
presidential candidates, according to the Minnesota Department of
Public Safety.
In September, five riders volunteered for the 2004 Helmet Challenge
sponsored by DPS, the Rider Wearhouse and Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly.
The participants, identified as non-helmet-wearers, tried out new,
full-faced motorcycle helmets for 21 days. Based on the participants’
responses, the Challenge yielded a 50 percent “conversion rate.” The
results were:
• Two volunteers claimed they liked the helmet and wanted to wear it
all the time.
• Two volunteers did not change their minds, but stated they would wear
a helmet at least some of the time.
• One volunteer said he would wear it about half the time.
• All five riders chose to keep the helmet after the Challenge period.
Kathy Swanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety, says, “These
riders went from wearing a helmet seldom or never to wearing the helmet
about half of the time. Many riders don’t wear helmets because they
think they are uncomfortable, but the message here is clear: Try it,
you might like it.” Voluntary helmet use in Minnesota is estimated at
36 percent, but officials believe that number could be higher if riders
were better informed. Challenge participants chose to wear helmets
because they preferred the insulation from the elements on colder days
and longer trips and the added feeling of safety.
Participants who chose to not wear helmets cited hot weather, short
trips and self-image as factors. A majority of the riders said family
or peer pressure influenced their decision.
2004 MINNESOTA HELMET CHALLENGE
The Challenge was organized by the
Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) with support from the Rider
Wearhouse and Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly.
Objective
Educate riders about the comfort of motorcycle helmets, and as a
result, change riders’ attitudes and increase voluntary helmet use.
Summary
DPS provided new, full-faced, properly fitting helmets to five riders
identified as non-helmet users to wear every time they rode for a
period of 21 consecutive days.
Results
Voluntary helmet use among the five participants went from less than 10
percent to more than 50 percent. Three riders said they would continue
to wear the helmet after the Challenge. The other two participants said
they would wear a helmet at least some of the time. Each rider stated
something positive about helmet use.
The most positive aspects of helmet use cited were protection from the
elements (wind, cold, e t c . ) and resulting extension of the riding
season. The most negative aspects of helmet use cited were
inconvenience, peer pressure and self-image.
Support and encouragement of family members and friends may have had a
positive effect on participant choice, while the choices and
negative opinions of riding peers may have had a negative effect.
Recommendations
To promote and increase voluntary helmet use, interested agencies
should focus their communications on the comfort and increased riding
enjoyment provided by helmets. Agencies should enlist support of
riders’ family members and friends to increase the likelihood that
riders will try a motorcycle helmet. A public information campaign
encouraging family members and friends to participate in a rider’s
decision may also have a positive effect on voluntary helmet use.
Providing uninformed or undecided motorcycle riders the opportunity to
try a high-quality, modern helmet may have a significant impact on
voluntary helmet use.
Motorcycle and helmet manufacturers, motorcycle insurance providers and
motorcycle dealers are in the best position to help increase voluntary
helmet use through programs similar to the Helmet Challenge. Partnering
with one or more motorcycle safety programs can reach new and
experienced motorcyclists at a critical time in their development to
affect attitude, change behavior, and deliver a positive safety message
to riders and the general public.
HELMET
CHALLENGE DETAIL
Theory and Focus
Many motorcycle riders choose to not wear helmets because they feel
helmets are uncomfortable. If a rider tries a modern helmet that fits
properly and has an opportunity to get used to wearing it, he or she
may decide that helmets are comfortable. Ideally, the rider may decide
that the helmet’s comfort makes riding more enjoyable. A rider who
wears a helmet for comfort also has the added benefit of U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT)-approved protection in a crash that
could prevent or reduce injuries-or save the rider’s life. Motorcycle
riders, even those who choose to wear helmets, generally oppose
mandatory helmet laws-but support rider education and the promotion of
safe riding practices. DPS expected the Helmet Challenge would be of
interest to the motorcycle safety industry and motorcycle riders.
However, the Challenge would also be of interest to the general,
non-motorcycling public unfamiliar with motorcycles, which generally
believes that “all motorcycle riders should wear helmets.” The
participants’ positive and negative reactions to the Challenge would
help clarify the purpose, benefits and limitations of voluntary helmet
use.
This might show motorcycle riders that there may be something missing
from their defensive riding systems and reduce the general public’s
tendency to only see motorcycle riders in terms of whether or not they
wear a helmet.
The focus of the Challenge was helmet comfort and not injury protection
or prevention. Because helmets are a politically charged issue, DPS
hoped to avoid the arguments associated with helmet “effectiveness” and
concentrate solely on the less obvious reasons riders wear helmets. DPS
estimates voluntary helmet use in Minnesota at 36 percent. States that
have recently repealed adult helmet laws report voluntary usage at
about 50 percent two years after repeal.
Therefore, DPS anticipated that 36 percent to 50 percent of the
participants would want to continue to wear the helmet after the
Challenge. Challenge results would be publicized through news releases
to the motorcycle industry, local motorcycle organizations, clubs and
businesses, news media and industry publications.
Background and
Objectives
The primary objective of the Challenge was to send the message, “Try
it. You might like it.” The Challenge would educate riders about the
subtle benefits of wearing a helmet: protection from rain, sun, wind,
noise, heat, cold, bugs, debris, reduced fatigue and improved
concentration while riding.
The secondary objective of the Challenge was to educate riders’
friends, families and peers about the likelihood of a rider to
voluntarily wear a helmet if given the opportunity to try one. The
Challenge would send a second message, “Use your influence to get the
rider in your life to try a helmet.
They may decide they like it.” Design DPS solicited national motorcycle
and helmet manufacturers, motorcycle insurance providers and motorcycle
dealerships to provide helmets and support for the Challenge.
Participating sponsors Rider Wearhouse (Duluth, Mn.) and Minnesota
Motorcycle Monthly (Maple Grove, Mn.) provided five Nolan N-lOO
flip-face helmets with a removable fog liner for the face shield.
Fifteen riders volunteered for the Challenge and five were selected.
All participants were experienced riders with such reasons for
participating as curiosity, spousal pressure and fear of head injury.
Each rider used the helmet for three weeks, kept notes and documented
mileage.
Riders were told that the helmet would be donated to the state rider
training program after the Challenge. This was to exclude those looking
for a free helmet and remove any perceived-tangible reward for
participating. However after the Challenge, participants who wished to
keep the helmet were allowed to do so.
Based on pre-Challenge interviews, DPS anticipated two riders would
continue to wear the helmet after the Challenge and three riders would
not.
Results
Three riders said they would continue to wear the helmet after the
Challenge. All five riders shared some positive opinions of helmet use,
chose to keep the helmet and said they would continue to wear the
helmet at least some of the time.
Two riders stated they would wear the helmet almost all the time except
perhaps during the hottest weather.
One rider stated he would wear the helmet often, though probably not in
hot weather or on short trips and errands.
Two riders stated they would wear the helmet on occasion, such as in
colder weather, rain or on longer trips.
Two riders noted that family member encouragement played a part in
their decision.
The two riders who stated they would wear the helmet only occasionally
noted that they rode with friends that generally did not wear helmets,
which made them feel conspicuous and out of place among those riders.
Four riders said it took a few days or less to become accustomed to
wearing the helmet. One rider said it took him three weeks to get used
to the helmet.
The rider most enthusiastic about helmet use after the Challenge was
also the newest rider and with the least previous exposure to helmets.
A pre-Challenge, statewide news release generated several potential
participants but only a small amount of media interest. A few
motorcycle rights enthusiasts felt the Helmet Challenge was a
government step toward a mandatory helmet use law and were alarmed that
the results would be disseminated to the general public.
Conclusions
Promoting voluntary helmet use through the Helmet Challenge was about
50 percent successful. Two riders converted to frequent helmet use, one
rider converted to partial helmet use and two riders remained mostly
non-users.
Family member encouragement of helmet use had a positive effect on
rider choice, while low helmet use among friends had a negative effect.
The most positive aspects of helmet use for non-users are protection
from the elements (wind, cold, etc.) and the resulting extension of the
riding season. The most negative aspects are inconvenience, peer
pressure and self-image.
Recommendations.
1. Motorcycle and helmet manufacturers, motorcycle insurance providers,
and motorcycle dealers should use the Helmet Challenge model to help
increase voluntary helmet use. Businesses should partner with
motorcycle safety programs to affect attitude, change behavior and
deliver a positive safety message.
2. State safety programs should create public information campaigns
targeting motorcyclists’ family members and friends to encourage
voluntary helmet use.
3. Agencies promoting voluntary helmet use to non-users should focus on
the comfort and increased riding enjoyment helmets provide. Efforts
should enlist the help of family members and friends to increase
riders’ likelihood to try a motorcycle helmet. An agency giving
uninformed or undecided motorcycle riders the opportunity to try a
high-quality, modern helmet may have a significant impact on voluntary
helmet use.
For more Challenge detail or participant background, reaction and
interview detail, contact Patrick Hahn, 651-282-2916 or
pat.hahn@state.mn.us.
