PART I: HELMET ATTITUDES AND SAFETY HABITS AMONG ARIZONA MOTORCYCLISTS; PART II: POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OUTCOMES IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH PATIENTS

Abstract

Helmet use has been shown to increase safety and reduce morbidity for motorcycle riders; however, only 19 states currently use a universal helmet law. Particularly surrounding proposed helmet legislation, the aims of the study in Part 1 were to explore motorcyclists’ attitudes towards helmet use as well as other safety measures while riding. It was hypothesized that helmet use could be encouraged by new legislation that centered around permits to ride without a helmet. 83 surveys were collected, and the results suggested that proposed helmet legislation in the state of Arizona appears unlikely to increase the proportion of helmeted motorcyclists. Furthering the analysis of these safety behaviors and driving habits, Part 2 consists of a proposed study to further understand the psychological implications of motorcycle collisions on patients. This study will aim to analyze the likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder in motorcyclist patients considering traumatic brain injury, as well as explore other impacts on patients’ overall wellbeing. Subjects will be asked to complete a survey including a PTSD screening test and several other questions regarding lifestyle. We hypothesize that motorcyclist patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury will be more likely to develop PTSD and other life-altering complications.