To: Oakland Press Editorial Staff

From: Vince Consiglio, President, ABATE of Michigan, Milford,

RE:  Response to Governor Granholm veto of SB 297

  ABATE has always promoted motorcycle licensing, motorcycle rider education, and car driver awareness of motorcycles as an alternative to the mandatory helmet law.  ABATE has endorsed Dick DeVos in response to Governor Granholm veto of SB 297 and her belief that motorcycle safety is having a mandatory helmet law. 

   Since 1982 we went back to the legislature 5 separate times to keep the motorcycle safety program financially solvent.  Motorcycle riders pay into the safety fund.  NO GENERAL STATE FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.  Students learn, “hands on,” how to operate a motorcycle safely in these classes.  Governor Granholm took the motorcycle safety program out of her 2004 budget.  That meant the education dollars paid for by registered cyclists and allocated for the motorcycle safety program, would go to the general fund.  ABATE of Michigan stood up and got the program moved to the Department of State.   How concerned was she about motorcycle safety? 

 ABATE volunteers go into driver’s training classrooms and teach those students about motorcycle riders.   “Look Twice and Save a Life,” is just one of the concepts taught in an awareness class.  The governor could have used Federal 402 funds like surrounding states but didn’t.

The helmet issue is a very emotional issue.  We believe the governor acted on her emotions and didn’t review the facts.  None of the states that border Michigan have a mandatory helmet law.    According to National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) the surrounding states Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota had a fatality rate of 4.6 per 10,000 motorcyclists, without a mandatory helmet law.  Michigan fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles are 5.0 from 1993 to 2002.  30 states nationally have adult choice.  The key component for non-riders to realize is that NO helmet prevents an accident.   Currently, 49% of those motorcyclists killed in Michigan do not have and endorsement.  They did have on helmets.  According to Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) the helmet impact rating is between 13 to 17 miles per hour.  The Michigan State Police currently use the DOT standard for helmets instead of providing an approval list as stated in the 1969 Michigan Helmet Law.  Michigan will lose 1.2 million dollars of sales tax, new sales, re-sales, accessory sales and tourism dollars in 2006 according to an independent study.

  Michigan motorcyclists overpay for insurance.  Michigan Motorcyclists pay into the catastrophic fund, on the average, at least twice.  Once for their motorcycle and once for their car/truck. 

  ABATE of Michigan will continue to support alternatives to a mandatory motorcycle helmet law.  ABATE has had bi-partisan support throughout the 30 year struggle to repeal this law.  Of the 21 yes votes in the senate, 10 were democratic.  Because the governor has not supported motorcycle safety or awareness and, because of her veto of the helmet modification bill, ABATE has endorsed Republican, Dick DeVos.

 Vince Consiglio, President,  ABATE of Michigan  

 P.S.   In 2004, 79 motorcyclists were killed in Michigan.  In 2005, 122 motorcyclists were killed in Michigan.  HELMETS DON’T PREVENT ACCIDENTS.   

LET THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE.