"News Story"

Towson physicians held a press conference Monday morning, to oppose a bill that would permit motorcyclists to not wear helmets.

The doctors unveiled a petition to legislators asking them not to pass the bill. The doctors have gotten nearly 400 signatures so far on the petition and hope to have at least 500 by the time they send it to the legislature. Dr. Sodergreen said the physicians plan to send their petition to the legislature on Monday. The bill is to be considered by the legislature next Wednesday.

The number of serious head injuries caused by motorcycle accidents in Maryland is over 70 percent less now then when the helmet law was adopted 25 years ago, said Dr. Karl Sodergreen. He said that reduction is directly related to passage of the law. Dr. Hector Rivera said a study from last year about health-care costs related to motorcycle riding by the state medical society showed that emergency room costs alone could go up by more than 45 percent if the helmet law is repealed.

Dr. Sodergreen said the physicians plan to send their petition to the legislature on Monday. The bill is to be considered by the legislature next Wednesday.

Doctors from Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Greater Baltimore Medical Center were present at the press conference. In the audience was over 100 nurses, paramedics and other health care workers.

The press conference was held on the front lawn of Memorial Hospital. While it was going on, two ambulances came racing into the parking lot and pulled up to the emergency room doors with victims from a two-vehicle accident. Ironically, one of the victims injured in the accident had been on a motorcycle.

The motorcyclist injured in the accident was 19-year-old Grady Smith of 8213 Peach Street. Smith suffered a broken arm and several broken ribs. In the report from city police, his doctor was quoted as saying Smiths injuries would have been much worse if he had not been wearing a helmet.