HELMET LAW CHANGES

Another change affects motorcycle riders, who have sought to remove what they consider to be restrictive laws regarding the use of helmets. Penalties for not wearing a helmet used to be stiff in Missouri: Up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail plus penalty points assessed against the rider's state driving record.

The new law, by comparison, is quite a change: The maximum penalty for the infraction of riding a motorcycle without a helmet is only $25. No jail time. No points assessed.

Safety proponents argue that the pendulum has swung too far. Injuries to motorcycle riders who don't take safety precautions will increase, they say, and the burden of paying for the results will too often fall to law-abiding motorists through increased hospitalization and insurance costs.

But motorcycle riders, as their mode of transportation suggests, tend to be free spirited. They have battled for years for a move toward more freedom and personal responsibility when it comes to deciding whether or not to wear a helmet. Currently, about half the states don't require helmets.

Missouri's new law is a compromise for both sides. While it still requires the use of helmets by motorcycle riders, the law takes away most of the legal ramifications for not wearing one.

Most motorcycle riders are likely to opt for a helmet, even with the minimal penalty for not wearing one. Why? "Educated riders will make their own choices for personal safety," said Steve Zimmer, a lobbyist for the 2,400-member motorcycle enthusiast group called Freedom of the Road Riders.

Plus, the new law requires the Department of Public Safety to set up and run a motorcycle safety training program, which motorcycle groups have been doing on their own for years.