You have to have them onboard, but the adults don't have to wear them.
On the contrary, I've been hit with small rocks in my facemask that actually made my head move backwards. I'm thinking if i was hit with a rock, I'd jeopardize not only myself but anyone I would potentially run into.<br /><br />Sean
Good point and taken that way.
Oh you missed my point or I said it wrong, I meant it was my choice to hurt/kill myself by not wearing them. Sorry.
<br />In Michigan our MC laws are kind of screwed up anyway. We must carry insance with no-fault liability for property damage and personal injury. But neither covers the operator. We must purchase medical separately. We must pay into the MCCA (Mich. Catastrophic Claims Admin.)<br />How this works is under no-fault, the ins. cos. must cover 100% of our medical bills with an unlimited ceiling. Last I knew the limit for the ins. co. was $250,000, then the MCCA kicked in and covered the rest. With the motorcycle, I must pay an MCCA assessment and will never collect on that from the bike. Now if I am involved in an accident involving a motor vehicle, then my automobile ins. covers my medical. No auto ins. no medical coverage. Kind screwy huh?<br />I agree that the chances for survival are less without a helmet and therefore a dead person costs less. But what about my wife's friends' accident? Riding down a city street about 25mph, a van pulled out in front of them, and BAM! they sideswiped the van. Naturally the bike went down, but not before the husband steered away from the van and hit the curb. The wife was thrown from the bike and landed in the parking lot about 5' away, hitting her head on the pavement. She was sore and stiff but back at work the next week. Her hubby was off a little longer with a broken leg from hitting between the bike and van. This accident probably would not have been fatal bucket-less, but the injuries would have been much worse.<br />As for not hurting anybody else, what about the son in this story, the hubby was the step-dad. Dad died of cancer shortly after the accident. What about the emotional injuries to those left behind? I agree it should be your choice, but too few consider all aspects. <br />Every time I ride I mentally prepare myself that I may not come home. Last year the first three times I went out, I almost got creamed, and only once was even remotely my fault. Once the lady looked right at me and still merged into my lane, with on-coming traffic. I've ridden in my alley without a bucket, and I didn’t like it. Maybe because I've never know anything else. <br /><br />I sincerely appreciate everyone's input and I've modified my opinion a little. I still will never ride without a full faced helmet that is SNELL approved. But that is MY choice, albeit still the law.<br /><br />Thanks again. 
When they were younger, my kids used to ask me similar questions. <br /><br />I'd often tell them, "Well,,, There's a big difference between age 14 and 18, or 21. Right now, 'such and such'-- like buying a handgun, voting, taking out a loan, etc. at this point in your life,,, this is just not a decision you get to make". <br /><br /><br />As far as kid helmet laws, child car seats, etc., I think it is the govt.'s way of trying to protect them from themselves, and/or foolish parents, in order to give them every chance they can under the circumstances, to grow up and be as un-crippled as possible.
