Motorcycles are a major means of transportation for older adults in many developing countries, and
Motorcycle safety is an important issue in an aging society. This study linked data on cause of death
and inpatient expenditure (from a data set on hospital admissions) with data on traffic accidents, which were gathered by Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare and Taiwan’s National Police Agency, respectively. The data were analyzed to determine how wearing a
helmet affected injury severity (especially head injuries) among the older motorcyclists who died in crashes and had worn a helmet; 65% of these motorcyclists who died in an accident and wore a helmet had a head injury. Policymakers should educate the public on how to properly wear and fasten a helmet and how to verify that a helmet has met quality standards. Regarding drunk riding, the injury severity was alarming among motorcyclists in accidents whose breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) or blood alcohol content (BAC) level was under the limit. The BrAC or BAC level being under the limit, if it is conflated with not engaging in drunk riding, can be ignored with regard to its effects.
