| Should motorcycle riders have the right to choose | | | | have been delayed on the organ waiting list. Note |
| to wear or not to wear a motorbike helmet? It is | | | | that it is not a one to one relationship, but rather |
| a fiercely debated topic among bikers, politicians | | | | three riders have to die to save one person in |
| and recently the people of Missouri. | | | | need of an organ. |
| It's a 'freedom of choice' debate for many, | | | | The argument against helmet laws citing the |
| questioning why the legislators feel they know | | | | Organ Donor Effect tends to be along the lines of |
| what individuals need better than themselves. It is | | | | that the enactment of crash helmet laws will |
| also a scale issue, how extensive should laws be | | | | reduce the number of organ donations every |
| to protect life and where should the line be | | | | year causing a corresponding increase in the |
| drawn? Laws state that an individual is not allowed | | | | number of deaths on the organ waiting list. |
| to intentionally end their own life, helmet laws | | | | An argument for helmet laws citing the Organ |
| attempt to reduce the risk of death, how far will | | | | Donor Effect is statistically stronger, consider that |
| legislators go to protect life and what effect will | | | | for every three biker deaths, only one persons |
| this have on the quality of life for the individual? | | | | life in need of an organ will be saved (extended). |
| Of course it isn't that simple, we're not all only | | | | So unless the lives of bikers are somehow less |
| individuals but together we make up a society and | | | | important than everyone else, the Organ Donor |
| sometimes the actions of individuals can have | | | | Effect as an argument for, or against motorbike |
| positive and negative effects on other individuals | | | | helmet legislation is irrelevant. |
| and on wider society. | | | | Butterfly Effect - Actions can have reactions |
| So the debate widens to consider costs and | | | | further away than may initially be considered. The |
| benefits to society. I'm not going to go into this | | | | Organ Donor Effect when considering motorcycle |
| area in detail because most of the costs and | | | | helmet legislation is an interesting example of a |
| benefits have already been widely discussed | | | | Butterfly Effect. The use of helmets don't only |
| previously. Considerations include the immediate | | | | effect those immediately involved in a motorcycle |
| loss of life to a rider who is involved in a fatal | | | | accident, but can also effect third parties which |
| accident, any pillion rider who is unfortunate | | | | you would not immediately consider - those on |
| enough to be involved, and any other parties who | | | | organ donor waiting lists. But just because there is |
| are involved in the accident. Pillion riders, like | | | | a relationship, doesn't mean it is an important |
| passengers in car accidents form a sad statistic | | | | relationship and doesn't mean that it deserves to |
| as the accident is normally completely outside of | | | | be considered in the debate. |
| their control, yet they bear the same | | | | More serious helmet law considerations should be |
| consequences. Considerations also include hospital | | | | around half helmets and other minimalistic helmets |
| services, police investigations, legal inquiries, and | | | | which offer questionable protection. If these |
| road clean up and repair work. Individual freedom | | | | helmet styles qualify as adequate protection under |
| of choice should hold strong consideration, and the | | | | law, but do not actually adequately protect the |
| fact that the use or non-use of a motorcycle | | | | human head in a motorcycle accident. It begs the |
| helmet doesn't directly effect the health of | | | | question of whether there is any point to having |
| anyone else other than themselves (ignoring the | | | | the helmet laws in the first place. |
| Organ Donor Effect). | | | | In most debates that consider individual choice |
| The Organ Donor Effect - Mitigating the cost of | | | | versus legislative control I personally favour |
| motorcycle accidents on society? It isn't a new | | | | individual choice. |
| concept, but one that has received revived | | | | But in this debate I considered two ideas, firstly |
| publicity lately following the Missouri motorbike | | | | whether motorcycle helmets are a good thing for |
| helmet law saga. For me the relationship between | | | | people to wear and secondly whether individuals |
| motorcycle accidents and organ donations is | | | | have the capability to choose for themselves |
| interesting because people will use the same | | | | uninfluenced by other people. In this situation after |
| relationship to argue both for and against crash | | | | much thought I decided that given the choice I |
| helmet laws. You can even find motorcyclists | | | | would vote in favour of compulsory helmet laws |
| citing the relationship in their arguments against | | | | for all ages. Because when helmet use becomes |
| motorcycle helmet laws. This multi use of the | | | | the norm there is no longer a question of |
| same argument is interesting, any use of the | | | | whether it is cooler to ride with or without a |
| argument is in fact bizarre because the effect | | | | helmet, everyone just wears one. Ideally I would |
| implies different values on the lives of | | | | like there to be no helmet laws and every |
| motorcyclists compared to humans on the organ | | | | individual able to make his or her own choice, but |
| donation waiting list. Are not the lives of all | | | | unfortunately I don't believe the individuals would |
| humans valued equally? Of course they are not, if | | | | be able to make their own choice, but rather be |
| they were politicians would not be sending our | | | | influenced too heavily by media, other riders, and |
| young men to war but be going themselves, but | | | | the individual's perception of what is 'cool'. Peer |
| that is off topic. So what is the Organ Donor | | | | pressure is commonly considered a child and |
| Effect? Statistics show a relationship exists | | | | teenager issue but I believe it is simply a human |
| between motorbike helmet use and the number | | | | characteristic. To want to do as others do, the |
| of fatal motorcycle accidents from head trauma. | | | | desire to be accepted, desire to fit in, desire to |
| Compulsory helmet laws increase helmet use, | | | | stand out. I believe that the majority of riders |
| causing a corresponding decrease in rider fatalities. | | | | given the option of wearing a helmet or not would |
| The Organ Donor Effect is the statistical | | | | base their decision on what they believe others |
| relationship between a decrease in head trauma | | | | would think of them (what image they will |
| related motorcycle rider fatalities and a | | | | portray). It is this unfortunate human |
| corresponding decrease in healthy organ donations. | | | | characteristic that moves me in support of |
| Motorcycle riders tend to be young and healthy | | | | compulsory motorbike helmet laws. |
| and have an above average likelihood of providing | | | | If everyone was not influenced by everyone else, |
| healthy organs following death from head trauma. | | | | then people would be capable of thinking for |
| Statistics have shown that for every motorcycle | | | | themselves and all self respecting individuals would |
| accident fatality from head trauma, 0.33 deaths | | | | wear motorcycle crash helmets anyway. |