Helmet laws across the United States have always created a lot of controversy. There are currently two types of helmet laws in the United States: a universal helmet law, which requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, and a partial helmet law which imposes age requirements. The helmet debate has been a long-running battle between free rights organizations and government officials. In 1967, the Highway Safety Act created a federal highway safety grant program. Prior to this law, no U.S. state had a motorcycle helmet law. For states to receive federal funds, they had to establish a highway safety program. If a state does not enact a universal motorcycle helmet law, some of these federal funds could be withheld. By 1975, forty-seven states responded and passed helmet laws. Congress changed the incentives for state helmet laws in 1976. Although in 1991, they passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act to grant states incentives and penalties based on helmet laws. helmets. This had little effect on states, and Congress reversed this helmet policy in 1995. States, under pressure from free-choice groups like ABATE, weakened and began repealing their laws. on wearing a helmet. (Laws)According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), only 20 states today still require all drivers to wear a helmet. Three states have no helmet laws and the other 27 have age restrictions. I currently live in Pennsylvania and the helmet law is very personal to me. I have many friends and immediate family members, including myself, who are avid motorcyclists. We are all fully aware of the dangers associated with riding a motorcycle. This debate has been discussed several times around our table. Despite...... middle of paper ......st. Internet. November 17, 2011. “Motorcycle Accident Injury Costs.” Home | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Internet. November 20, 2011. .Rhoades, Jim. “Helmet Law”. ABATE of Michigan 248 685 9150. Web. November 16, 2011. “Crash Science.” Friction zone June 2006: 2-4. Internet. November 17, 2011. Heinrichs, Allison M. “Pitt Study Says Cyclists Without Helmets Pose Health Risk.” » Pittsburgh Tribune-Review [Pittsburgh, PA] June 13, 2008. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Internet. November 15, 2011. .Auman, KM, JA Kufera, MF Ballesteros, JE Smialek, and PC Dischinger. “Autopsy Study of Motorcyclist Fatalities: The Effect of the 1992 Maryland Motorcycle Helmet Use Law.” American Journal of Public Health 92.8 (2002): 1352-355. Elite Source Company. Internet. November 18. 2011.