Following the NTSB State Most Wanted Press Briefing in November, where the new issue area, Improve Motorcycle Safety, was added to the 2011 list of Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements, there was a great deal of media interest.  For the next few days, Vice Chairman Hart did numerous interviews with print and broadcast media on the Board’s action. 

During these interviews the key message was that the Safety Board is concerned about the number of motorcycle riders that have been killed or injured in motorcycle crashes and universal helmet laws have proven effective in the mitigation of injuries and the prevention of fatalities.  As Hart informed the media, simply wearing a Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218-compliant helmet, which is designed with a hard outer shell, an impact-attenuating liner, and a retention system to protect the head, especially the brain, in a variety of impact scenarios, saves lives.