by KYW's Tony Romeo
Governor Rendell’s spokeswoman says the governor stands by his decision to sign a repeal of the state’s mandatory motorcycle helmet law three years ago.
Governor Rendell’s press secretary Kate Philips says the governor knows Ben Roethlisberger and that his thoughts and prayers are with him (
see related story).
But, she says, the governor still believes it should be up to each individual motorcyclist as to whether to wear a helmet:
“When the governor signed the helmet law repeal, and throughout the years it has been in place, he’s always said that the wisest choice is to use a motorcycle helmet. But he maintains that it is a person’s choice whether or not they’d like to do that.”
The number of motorcycle fatalities in Pennsylvania increased sharply last year, the second full year that the helmet repeal law was in effect.
PennDOT says there were 205 motorcycle deaths in 2005, compared to 158 in 2004. In 2002, the last full year that adult motorcyclists were required to wear a helmet in the state, there were only 134 deaths.
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