Editorial views from across the state

Football star's motorcycle crash just might save lives

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's much-publicized motorcycle accident might, in the long run, save lives.

Last week, Roethlisberger, who was not wearing a helmet, crashed into a car while riding his motorcycle. He was tossed from the motorcycle suffering injuries to his head, including a broken jaw, concussion and the loss of teeth. When Roethlisberger was discharged from the hospital he said he would wear a helmet if he rode a motorcycle again.

His message is clear: Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is foolish.

Roethlisberger — a staunch opponent of wearing a helmet until his brush with death — has done the right thing in publicly acknowledging he made a serious mistake in riding without a helmet.

Many who oppose helmet laws see this as an issue of personal freedom. It's not. It's an issue of public safety. When people ride without a motorcycle helmet they are putting more than themselves at risk. States clearly can regulate helmet use, just as they do seatbelt use in a car.

When helmets aren't worn there is an increase in severe head injuries, which can result in long hospitalizations and huge medical bills. Who pays those bills? The government pays and insurance companies pay. Ultimately, everyone pays through higher taxes and increased insurance premiums.

A few years back, there was a movement to repeal Washington state's mandatory helmet law. Those fighting to keep the helmet law in place argued that debilitating head injuries leave the state paying the long-term cost of care in 40 percent of the cases. The majority of cases involve people under the age of 44.

Six years ago, Florida repealed its helmet law. The Florida Today newspaper reported that motorcycle deaths have increased 67 percent — from 259 in 2000 to 432 in 2004 — according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics.

Yet, despite the clear evidence that wearing a helmet saves lives and reduces serious, debilitating head injuries, there are still those who are working to repeal helmet laws.

For example, Florida resident Dave Carroll argues helmet laws are unnecessary, and motorcycle riders are generally better drivers than those who pilot cars.

"What causes most of the crashes is cars," he said. "Usually, it's the car driver turning left at an intersection and causing an accident because they didn't see us coming."

That apparently is what occurred in Roethlisberger's accident. But how does any of that negate the need for a helmet? To the contrary, when cars and motorcycles collide, it's the motorcyclist who is at the greatest risk.

Roethlisberger now understands that — and now that he has gone public with his change of heart, others might also see the need to wear a helmet.

— The (Walla Walla) Union-Bulletin, June 20

To gauge government, watch campaign ads

If it takes one to know one and the subject is political back-biting, Jim Wright is your man.

The former Democratic speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives says he saw the level of animosity reeling out of control 16 years ago, when he resigned from the House. Interviewed by Jim VandeHei of The Washington Post, Wright recently said he thought his resignation would shock others in Congress into more civil behavior toward each other.

It didn't.

Things just got worse.

And it didn't take long, of course. Wright's principal antagonist, Republican Newt Gingrich of Georgia, eventually engineered the GOP takeover of Congress and he himself was chosen as speaker, only to collapse under pressure of the same kind of ethics investigation he used against Wright.

Compromise used to be the guiding principle of our national government (with the obvious exception of the Civil War).

Now it is no give and all take.

Wright said there's a possibility of a Democratic resurgence in the next election — but he's cautious.

He's concerned that Democrats simply could extend the politics of division, especially after getting kicked around by the Republicans in recent years.

"There is a tendency in human nature to want to retaliate and to subject the opposition to the same sort of treatment," he told VandeHei. "I hope there is not an effort to get even ... but I cannot say that won't happen."

The voters will get a preview of how the next Congress will conduct itself.

Just watch the campaign ads.

Some already are running in other states. And some of them are pretty nasty.

If the winning candidates have not risen above advertising strategies aimed at the lowest common denominator, don't expect them to behave any better in office.

— Tri-City Herald, June 18