No-helmet law should include two more requirements

We enjoyed a motel breakfast conversation with a nice couple, decked out in full motorcycle leathers, who were part of a large contingent on their way to Milwaukee for the 150th anniversary of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company this week.

We joked that they were a little too early to enjoy a helmet-less ride through Nebraska, since the Cornhusker state will require all riders to wear approved headgear until Jan. 1, 2024.

They seemed a little amazed since they were from Mexico City, the capital of a country that requires helmets nationwide.

They didn’t seem to resent the requirement or plan to doff their full-face models even if permitted to do so.

Their English was much better than our Spanish, but there was little debate over the benefits of wearing a helmet on a northbound hog.

The most obvious benefit is avoiding head injuries, the most common cause of fatalities and severe injuries in motorcycle accidents. Acting as a protective barrier between your head and the pavement, a helmet spreads out the shock of the impact to reduce the risk of head trauma, skull fractures and brain injuries.

Helmets, especially those with a full-face shield or visor, protect your face and eyes from debris that can cause injuries or obstruct your vision.

On the other hand, helmets can carry reflective elements or bright colors that increase your visibility to other motorists, especially in low-light conditions.

Encounter wind, rain, hail, heat or cold weather, and you’ll be glad to have a helmet on.

Spend years exposing your ears to the wind, engine and road sounds associated with motorcycles and you may find yourself hard of hearing. Helmets can help prevent such damage.

Nebraska’s new no-helmet law is rather conservative, allowing it only for those over 21 who have taken a motorcycle safety course.

But it should probably go farther, as J.L. Schmidt suggests in the Capitol View column elsewhere on this page.

Obviously, a helmet won’t protect you from every serious injury or even death, but the head injuries it can help prevent are the most costly and devastating, the most likely to leave victims in a wheelchair or worse.

Schmidt, who admits he has never ridden a motorcycle, advocates adding a couple of more requirements to those who choose not to wear a helmet: proof of health and long-term disability insurance that will make them less likely to become a burden to Nebraska taxpayers.

Legally required to do so or not, we hope motorcyclists will do what they can to protect their noggins.

Make sure you buy genuine head-protection gear that meets safety standards set by the Department of Transportation, and be sure it fits properly, covers your entire head and has no cracks or damage. Regularly inspect it and replace it if it has been involved in a crash or shows signs of wear and tear.

By wearing a motorcycle helmet, you significantly increase your chances of preventing or reducing the severity of head injuries in the unfortunate event of an accident, making it an essential safety precaution for every rider.