Editorial | Helmets and Motorcycles

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2006

The next motorcyclist who ditches his bike while wearing a safety helmet may owe Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger a hearty thanks.

How so? On Monday, Roethlisberger did a lot to drain the so-called romance and thrill from riding a bike without a helmet.

Just tote up the young gridiron star's injuries after he slammed into a car windshield: broken nose and jaw, shattered teeth, lacerated scalp, sprained knees and more. Don't forget those seven hours in surgery, probably not the last visit to the operating room these injuries will require.

Bikers who ride without a helmet often dismiss the risks fatalistically - when your number's up, etc. But advances in trauma medicine mean more people survive serious accidents. Accident victims sometimes...