By Laurin Penland
Wilmington, NC – The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled against the city of Myrtle Beach in a case that would have given South Carolina cities the right to make their own motorcycle helmet laws.
The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the state has already made a decision regarding helmets and motorcycles that allows bikers over 21 to go without a helmet.
Myrtle Beach passed the ordinance two years ago requiring helmets for all bikers in an attempt to get rid of the motorcycle rallies. Mark Kruea is the spokesman for the city.
"We were averaging four and a quarter motorcycle fatalities during the three weeks of the rallies each year. Now the last two years, while the helmet ordinance was in effect, we had no traffic fatalities of anykind during the month of May."
There are 27 states, including South Carolina with partial helmet laws on the books, while 20 states and the District of Columbia require helmets for all motorcyclists.