I’m Attorney Ben Schwartz and today’s video is about the new Mandatory Helmet Law for Delaware Motorcycle Riders. Please take a moment to leave us a comment on our Facebook page.

Transcript: Today, I want to talk to you about the topic of Helmet Law for Delaware Motorcycle Riders.

I’m in Delaware right now, and I’m close to Pennsylvania. I’ve got a motorcycle endorsement on my license. I have not ridden a motorcycle in a long time, but I used to! I remember that when we were out on a ride, we would have our helmets on the bike. In Delaware, you’re required to have a helmet on your bike, not on your head. When we would get to the Maryland line, we would have to stop and put on our helmets. Once you cross the line into Maryland, the helmet has to actually be on your head. It’s interesting that Maryland has a helmet law that requires a motorcyclist to wear the helmet on his or her head. Delaware has a helmet law that requires the motorcyclist only to have the helmet on the bike.

However, there’s a push in Delaware to pass new legislation. A bill is pending in the Delaware General Assembly that would require motorcyclists to wear helmets on their heads if it gets passed and signed into law.

I wonder what people think about that…is that a good idea? Or a bad idea? I think that if you would have asked me 20 years ago if it was a good idea or a bad idea – I would have told you that government has no business intruding into the private affairs of motorcycle riders. I might have said, “I enjoy going out and riding a motorcycle. You feel the wind in your hair. There’s no better freedom than that.” Twenty years ago, I would have been strictly opposed to it.

At this point, I pay a lot in taxes and I don’t ride a motorcycle any longer. I’m a personal injury attorney. Usually, once you see the carnage of personal injury accidents and wrongful death accidents you don’t really want to be involved in riding motorcycles any longer. At this point in my life, I hate to have a law that limits someone’s freedom. But at the same time, if you’re in a motorcycle accident and you sustain a head injury and you’re not able to work…and you lose your job and health insurance, you will need to go on Medicaid or Social Security Disability. I pay taxes and that money is going to go to Medicaid to pay for your medical treatment. Often, it costs tens of thousands of dollars every month. That money is going to go to the Social Security Administration to pay your Social Security disability (which is hundreds of dollars every month). After twenty years of riding motorcycles, I can see how interconnected everything is. I can see the consequences of people who get catastrophically injured. I see the consequences for their families.

I see the consequences for society as well. My point of view now has changed. I don’t think it’s such a bad thing to require people to wear helmets. What I’m more interested in is not what I think – what I’m more interested in is what you think.

If you have an opinion on Helmet Law for Delaware Motorcycle Riders, give us a comment on this post. I’d be interested to hear what your views are.