OLD BLASTARD: Insurance Institute says training doesn’t matter

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the insurance industry-paid research folks who crash cars, says its study of crashes among young riders shows it doesn't matter if you receive training or not.

OK, I find that hard to believe, but the insurance folks aren't paying for my research.

copyright 2007 by Shawn McKenzie

According to the study,  "the frequency of insurance collision claims for riders younger than 21 is 10 percent higher in states that require riders this age to take a training course before they become eligible for a license to drive a motorcycle, compared with states that don't require training."

Of course, the institute admits that number doesn't really mean much, but it doesn't stop it from reaching a conclusion. That's so Congressional, no?

"Although this difference isn't statistically significant, it contradicts the notion that training courses reduce crashes," the report states.  "A potential explanation is that riders in some states are fully licensed once they finish training. This might shorten the permit period so that riders end up with full licenses earlier than if training weren't mandated."

Or it could just be a fluke.

The insurance institute's helmet study arm also analyzed insurance claims on the effectiveness of universal helmet laws covering all riders. You can guess what the outcome is, based on where the money's coming from:

"Motorcyclists in states that require all riders to wear helmets are less likely to file insurance claims for medical treatment after collisions, compared with riders in states without helmet laws or where the laws apply to some but not all riders. Helmets reduce head injuries, the leading cause of death among unhelmeted riders."

OK, I agree with them on that one. I'm still  having a hard time imagining that training, learning to swerve, brake and corner, don't have some sort of positive impact, however. I think it's a meaningless statistic, which they admit, designed to prove their point and provide more ammunition to the anti-cycle Rolling Stone Preachers on Capitol Hill.