Overview
- Using Michigan’s 2012 repeal as a natural experiment, JACS researchers found an average $5,785 increase per crash patient, a 26% rise in inpatient costs.
- Adjusted to 2025 dollars, the change equates to roughly $6.4 million in excess inpatient spending each year in Michigan.
- The study analyzed 19,685 motorcycle crash patients from 2009–2015 across Michigan and four control states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, and Colorado.
- Inpatient charges represent about two-thirds of acute medical expenses, so rehabilitation, long-term care, and lost productivity likely push total costs substantially higher.
- Context from ACS-cited research shows far higher helmet use under universal laws—94% versus 47% in a state comparison—as 33 states have rolled back universal mandates.