HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 03031987 - 87-122 IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
In the Matter of Supporting) Resolution No. 87/122
Assembly Bill 36 )
WHEREAS, In 1984 alone the California Highway Patrol
statistics show that 27,233 motorcyclists were injured and
of these 833 were killed and 3,766 had severe injuries; and
WHEREAS, The average hospital bill of an injured
motorcyclist is conservatively estimated at more than
$17,000 per individual, and "indirect costs" such as lost
wages and physical rehabilitation usually are double the
direct costs; and
WHEREAS, California taxpayers are paying more than 80
percent of the costs incurred by injured motorcyclist; and
WHEREAS, Motorcyclist injuries cost the taxpayers more
than $64 million a year for hospital bills alone, based on
the number of injuries in 1984; and
WHEREAS, In California motorcyclists account for only
three percent of all passenger-carrying vehicles but are
involved in 12 percent of crashes causing injury; and
WHEREAS, Per mile, a motorcyclist is more than 10 times
more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant;
and
WHEREAS, Unhelmeted riders have more than 2. 5 times as
many critical or fatal head injuries as riders who .wear
helmets; and
WHEREAS, We are concerned about the enormous financial
cost to taxpayers and the unmeasurable emotional cost to
victims in loss of human lives and suffering caused by
motorcycle crashes; and
WHEREAS, A mandatory helmet law in California would
reduce motorcycle rider deaths and save the taxpayer
millions of dollars annually;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of
Supervisors do hereby urge the California legislature to
pass AB 36 to modify the existing state vehicle code to
require all California motorcyclists to wear approved safety
helmets.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on March 3, 1987, by unanimous vote
of the Board members present.
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and
correct copy of a resolution entered in the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date aforesaid.
Witness my hand and the seal of the
Board of Supervisors affixed this
third day of March, 1987
Attested: Phil Batchelor, Clerk of
the Board of Supervisors and County
Administrator.
BY Deputy Clerk