The Standard reports that a man on a scooter was transferred by helicopter to a downstate hospital after a Wednesday evening scooter collision on 400 North.  While heading east a truck pulled out in front of the scooter causing the crash at 100 West causing the 20-year-old scooter driver to suffer head injury and "a major femur injury" in one leg, said Bountiful Police Sgt. Todd Hixson adding that the scooter was "... completely crushed."  The victim was life-flighted to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray for treatment.

The article in the Standard, at least to me, seems to infer that becasue scooters are small that all of the onus of protection is in the scooter rider to ensure his own safety.  Shouldn't drivers of vehicles be on the lookout for scooters and motorcycles.  It is not the law in Utah to wear a helmet unless the scooter or motorcycle rider is 18 years old or younger.  There are no definitive studies that clearly demonstrate that helmets prevent death - none I am aware of anyway.  It is a libertarian / freedom argument that wearing helmets are up to the user.  I know the arguments the other way too - claiming that helmets minimize damage and therefore should be mandated to take the burden off of society for caring for persons who sustain brain injuries when not wearing a helmet.

What do you think?

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