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Protect your noggin at any age

Las Vegas, Nev., May 16, 2011 - With a bill now pending in the state legislature that would partially repeal the current motorcycle helmet law, it’s more important than ever to think about the benefits of wearing a helmet and motorcycle safety. Senate Bill 177 would repeal the state’s mandatory motorcycle helmet requirement for persons age 21 or older.

“The safety of everyone is our main concern,” says State Farm® spokeswoman Angela Thorpe.“We believe utilizing helmets while driving or riding a motorcycle is in the public’s best interest no matter what your age.”

According to a recent national motorcycle fatality report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 37 percent of the time helmets were effective at preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists.

Here are some additional tips for drivers and motorcyclists while they share the road.

Tips for Drivers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers these tips to make sure you share the road safely with motorcyclists:

• Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width.
• Don't assume a motorcycle is going to turn just because its signal is flashing. Some signals are not self-canceling and motorcyclists forget to turn them off.
• Motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars, so allow greater following distance.
• Realize wet pavement and road debris can create driving conditions especially hazardous for motorcyclists.

Tips for Motorcyclists

The GHSA has identified the following tips for motorcyclists

• Wear your helmet.
• Don’t drink and ride.
• Slow down. In the same report, 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding. More than half of all motorcycle fatal crashes did not involve another vehicle, and speeding likely contributed to many of these.

Nationally, State Farm® insures nearly a million motorcycle riders and has offered motorcycle insurance for nearly 50 years.

Contact

Angela Thorpe, State Farm Insurance (303) 264-1560.

About State Farm®

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts- more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.