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What are the advantages of wearing a helmet when riding motorcycles?
Introduction
I. According to traffic agency spokesman, Rae Tyson, in a study focused on Kentucky and Louisiana, which repealed its helmet law in 1999, motorcycle deaths soared by 111 percent in the two years after the repeal.
II. Although many of you may not personally ride motorcycles, it is likely that someone in your family or one of your friends does. It is important to know the advantages of wearing a helmet because it could affect your life in more ways than one.
III. I have ridden motorcycles since I was seven-years-old. My father, brother, and I all race motorcycles and realize the importance of wearing a helmet. We also ride street bikes and even though wearing a helmet is not required by Kentucky state law, we always wear one when riding.
IV. Although state laws may not require the use of a helmet while riding a motorcycle, it has been statistically proven that wearing motorcycle helmets saves lives.
V. In this speech I will inform you of the state helmet law and its effects, the importance of your choice of helmet, and try to persuade you to always wear a helmet when riding motorcycles.
Body
I. Since the repeal of the helmet law, Kentucky legislature has decided that Kentucky motorcycle riders 21 and older are not required to wear a helmet. According to national statistics, Kentucky has a 6% greater number of deaths on motorcycles than the national average of 6.3%. This is based on the 12.7 deaths per 10,000 registered motorcycles in 2001. (Carroll)
A. Kentucky had passed its helmet law in 1968. But in July 1998, Sen. Dan Seum sponsored legislation to repeal it for licensed riders 21 and older. He argued that adults should have the right to choose whether or not they need a motorcycle helmet.
B. Before the change in the state law, 96 percent of motorcycle riders used helmets. After the law was repealed, the...