ABATE of New York Inc. encourages the voluntary use of helmets, gloves, sturdy footwear, and protective garments by adult motorcyclists, as part of a comprehensive motorcycle safety program. We do not support laws mandating use of helmets at all times by all riders.
ABATE of New York Inc. believes that accident prevention and avoidance are more important to significantly reducing injuries and fatalities than any mandatory equipment laws. Mandatory helmet laws do nothing to prevent accidents.
It is generally recognized and acknowledged that a motorcycle helmet is a legitimate piece of safety equipment under optimal circumstances. Unfortunately, all crashes involving motorcycles do not fit the controlled laboratory conditions under which helmets are tested. The presence of a number of variables can create situations in which a user can be severely injured. Improper fit, rapid deceleration, the angle of impact, and roadside hazards which are unlike those found in a D.O.T. Laboratory, can all contribute to severe injuries that would not have been incurred by an unhelmeted rider. Because the possibility of death or injury as a result of helmet use exits, ABATE of New York Inc. believes the individual rider is best suited to weigh the benefits and risks associated with that use. The amount of risk one accepts in any activity is a matter of informed personal choice.