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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1989)
he Battalion TATE & LOCAL : riday, June 16,1989 4&M researchers optimistic about Texas helmet law By Holly Beeson STAFF WRITER Texas A&M researchers estimate 115 lives will be saved annually in Texas because of the mandatory mo torcycle helmet law that will go into effect Sept. 1. This law will include riders of raopeds and scooters, or any two wheeled motorized vehicles. A 15-member Public Administra tion Research group, headed by po litical scientist Dr. Kim Hill, exam ined the two prior changes in the helniet law Texas made in the past 20 years. They found that the 1968 manda tory helmet law saved 650 lives until 1977, at which time the law was re laxed, requiring only riders 18 and under to wear helmets. From 1977 to 1988, the group es timated that as many as 1,450 Tex ans died because of the weaker ver sion of the law. “Perhaps what’s most remarkable is that when the state dropped the comprehensive helmet law in 1977, the death rate increased by 68 per cent and the injury rate increased by 20 percent annually,” Hill said. Unlike the new law, the previous mandatory helmet law was enacted because of pressure from the federal government. “The first law (in 1968) was con troversial because most motorcycle riders didn’t want the law, but Uncle “I It returns the benefit to the public. The average motorcycle rider is relatively young and we can expect them to be important contributors to the economy and tax-paying citizens.” — Dr. Kim Hill, political scientist Sam really forced it on the states,” Hill said. “There was a provision in federal law that if a state didn’t re quire all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, they’d lose certain federal funds.” The federal law was changed in 1977 so states wouldn’t lose funds if they required riders under 18 to wear helmets. Hill said the change in federal law induced the biker community to pressure the Texas Legislature to re lax the state law — and it worked. “The law stayed enforced that way until this year,” he said. “The strong commitment of a handful of state legislators this year to the public health benefits of having a compre hensive helmet requirement was what finally brought about the cur rent change that we see now.” Hill said the new mandatory hel met law will impact society in at least three ways. First, he said, the new law should reduce or at least hold down future increases of motorcycle insurance. Second, people should expect to see lower public costs, Hill said. “Other research has shown that an unusually high percentage of mo torcycle riders who did not wear hel mets but who were injured in acci dents didn’t have sufficient insurance to cover the cost of their hospitalization and care,” he said. “A large number of these people ended up on public welfare because the state had to cover the cost of part of their hospitalization and rehabilita tion treatment.” The third thing is the fact that lives will be saved, Hill said. “It returns the benefit to the pub lic,” he said. “The average motorcy cle rider is relatively young and we can expect them to be important contributors to the economy and tax-paying citizens. “A young Aggie that stays alive might do great things for the econ omy.” The fine for not wearing a helmet will be $45 in College Station and $44 in Bryan. A&M’s prevention unit offers new line on crime PD gives information, asks students to help solve cases by dialing 845-6500 y Alan Sembera ENIOR STAFF WRITER •os, Mexico” Break ‘88.1 sociate metfl k it’s hilarious: hy The ial service of; ir Matamoros j ant ten at. I just migH l t The editorult] ,111 ma ^ e ffl td must incluitH Tor, The University Police Department’s new rime prevention unit has a line on crime, rimeline, the unit’s recorded phone mes- age, gives a report of the previous day’s rimes and asks for help in solving them. Crimeline, which began operating this week at 845-6500, also gives tips on prevent ing crime. In addition to running Crimeline, the crime prevention unit, which began about a month ago, will devote its time to educating the public on how to protect itself from crime. “Our goal is to make A&M a safe place to work and go to school,” said Officer Betty Le- May, one of two full-time crime prevention officers working in the unit. The officers in the unit will attempt to pre vent crime by giving lectures and speeches as well as by conducting building security sur veys, LeMay said. Lt. Bert Kretzschmar, the other crime pre vention officer, said crime prevention surveys consist of going to a building and examining its doors, fighting, shrubbery and other fac tors to determine how safe and secure the place is. “We look at it from a criminal’s point of view,” he said. “How would we do it? We see it done all the time.” Kretzschmar said stressing crime preven tion isn’t new for UPD, but it hasn’t been any one’s specific responsibility. Now crime pre vention will be his and LeMay’s full-time job. Kretzschmar and Lemay are not new at A&M. Kretzschmar has worked at UPD for five years, and LeMay has worked there for four years. “We know the problems,” Kretzschmar said. “We know what people have to put up with at A&M.” Property crime has been high at A&M in the past, and Kretzschmar said there has been a slight increase in violent crimes. Educating students, faculty and workers at A&M is one way to help decrease crime, he said, because many people are unaware of what goes on here. “Females go jogging alone at night,” he said. “Then when we stop and tell them it’s dangerous, they’re like, ‘Not here at A&M — that stuff doesn’t happen here.’ ” Bob Wiatt, director of security and campus police, said he is happy to have gotten the crime prevention unit approved by the Uni versity. He said he sees a need to make stu dents aware of crime on campus. “We’ve been trying to get this established for some time,” Wiatt said. “A&M is not Alice in Wonderland, it’s part of the real world. “Anyone can become a victim on this cam pus, just as they can in any metropolitan city.” Clements works to wrap up business from 1989 regular session AUSTIN (AP) — Gov. Bill Clem- ; ents signed more than 800 bills into [aw by Thursday night, highlighted by measures to build more prison tells, overhaul the criminal justice System and bring water and sewer Services to substandard “colonias.” Working against a Sunday dead line to wrap up work from the 1989 Legislature’s regular session, Clem ents said he had neither finished analyzing the $47.4 billion budget nor issued vetoes of bills he doesn’t like. “I’m saving those for last,” he said of any possible vetoes. The governor said he had worked until 1:30 a.m. Thursday and re turned to his Capitol office later in the morning to wade through the to tal of 1,081 bills left by the Legis lature when it adjourned on May 29. “I’ve got about 200 to go,” he said. Under the Texas Constitution, Clements has until midnight Sunday to finish the job, although he said he expected to be wrapped up by Fri day night. “I will, I guarantee you,” he told news reporters while adding a warning: “It might be pretty late.” The governor said he was partic ularly pleased with the criminal jus tice overhaul. That legislation calls for 11,000 new prison beds along with new sen tencing options allowing judges to place inmates in new community fa cilities instead of state prisons. “By our action, we are putting the justice back into the criminal justice system in Texas,” he said. The prison reform package, writ ten by Rep. Allen Hightower, D- Huntsville, and Sen. Bob McFar land, R-Arlington, is among the most important and far-reaching ac tions by the Legislature. Texas is under a federal court or der to keep the state prison popula tion under 95 percent of capacity. Counties have complained that state inmates awaiting transfer are backed up in county jails, costing local gov ernments and resulting in local crowding. Democrat: Bush bases wage veto on two-bit logic AUSTIN (AP) — President Bush’s veto of a bill to increase the minimum wage “is based on two-bit logic” that takes from the poor and gives to the rich, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Bob Slagle says. In a news release Thursday, Slagle also criticized Republican Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, whom he said opposed the wage in crease. The House on Wednesday failed to override the president’s veto of a bill raising the hourly minimum wage to $4.55 by Octo ber 1991. T he Republican presi dent wanted to raise the current $3.35 wage to $4.25 by January 1992. “At the same time, Bush is still promoting a capital gains tax cut of $30,000 per year for Ameri cans who make over $200,000 per year, calling that a way to stimu late the economy,” Slagle said. Slagle criticized Gramm for fighting the wage increase. He quoted Gramm as saying, “There should be no minimum wage, pe riod, in the great land of free en terprise.” FAMOUS FIRSTS olutiom, »’ e[ -th for g rat ople candos* ns, opiaio 0 ] >lumnists aff , | he Battalion mitting g ue '. the Opi* 0 * ‘734 FIRST AIRPLANE The Wright Brothers began experimenting with kites in the 1890’s and in 1903 became the first to sustain flight for 852 feet over the beach at Kitty Hawk. FIRST CAR FIRST LOVE She was the only one who didn’t laugh when you fell off the jungle gym and broke your leg. She even let you win at checkers. What a woman! The world’s first motor car, the Lenoir, named after its inventor, ran at an average speed of 4 miles per hour. In 1863 the 11/2 horsepower vehicle made its first drive of 6 miles in only 3 hours. IMVERSITY TOWER It’s time to introduce another Famous First, University Tower. In August, the privately-owned and managed property will open as a dormitory. At University Tower you’ll find 24-hour on-site security, a huge bedroom and private bath, full meal plans, an exercise and weight room, study rooms & com puter room, an indoor pool, a sport-court, a volleyball pit, laundry facilities, housekeeping service, and a shuttle bus to campus. It’s the first and only dorm of its kind at A&M. Call or come by for leasing information for Fall/Spring '89-'90! “Above and Beyond the Rest” University Tower 410 South Texas Avenue (409) 846-4242 1-800-537-9158 University Tower 1*0 University Dr. TEXAS AdtM UNIVERSITY 3 University Tower is managed by one of the most experienced student housing management company in the United States. Dr. Richard A Bems, general manager for Wallerstein Property Management, manages dormitories at the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University for over 1800 students. ^ONEPLEX ODEON $ 3 00 bargain matinee daily THEATRES all shows before &:oo pm AT SELECItO IHEATRE5-CHECK SH0WTIMES 1 TENTH ANNIVERSAST POST OAK THREE ■ CINEMA THREE 1500 HAfvcv K£M<1 CO3-7706 31S College Avc. 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MANOR EAST 3 aETCH LIVES PQ-13 2:20 4:30 7:10 *25 •PETSEMATARY R douy 2:10 7:2© 1 4*0 8*0 I CHANCES ARE pc-h . 2:15 4*5 7:15 *35 •GHOSTBUSTERSn pg oolby 2*0 7*0 I 4*0 8*5 M PG-is 2:05 435 7:00 *49 PINK CADILLAC pg-is 2:15 7:15 4*5 2*5 1 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 gg PAINFUL MUSCULAR INJURIES ||g $50 Individual with recent lower back or neck pain, sprain, strains, $50 $50 muscle spasms, or painful muscular sport injury to participate $50 $50 in a one week research study. $50 incentive for those chosen $50 $50 to participate. $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $2“ ASTHMA STUDY $200 Wanted: Individuals ages 12-70 with asthma to partic- $200 $200 'P ate in a research study to evaluate asthma medica- ^oo $200 tions. $200 incentive for those chosen to participate. $ 2 00 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 Consumer Study Do you take at least one over-the-counter pain reliever per month for any reason? If so, you may be eligible to partici pate in an at home analgesic study. Monetary incentive for those chosen to participate. CALL PAULL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 776-0400