Personal Injury Law

Bike riders can reduce motorcycle accident injuries with helmet use

By Chuck Boyk

If everyone riding a motorcycle would have used a helmet in 2006, roughly 752 lives could have been saved nationwide, and 24 lives in Ohio.

“Careless car drivers injure motorcycle riders on a regular basis,” said Ohio motorcycle accident attorney Attorney Chuck Boyk. “For the past 25 years I have seen much more serious injuries and death due to lack of motorcycle helmets. Individual freedom is nice, but being alive and healthy may be more important.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation is starting to require helmet manufacturers to place a larger, tamper-proof DOT label on the back of certified helmets. This larger label would not only make it harder for riders to wear novelty helmet in states that require DOT certified helmets, but it would also help riders in all states recognize a safe helmet to use in order to prevent personal injury in the event of a motorcycle accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets reduce the risk of death by 29% and are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries to motorcycle riders. NHTSA also predicts that an unhelmeted motorcyclist is 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury and 15 percent more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury than a helmeted motorcyclist when involved in a motorcycle accident.

Ohio law requires that motorcycle riders and passengers under the age of 18 must wear a helmet at all times. Ohio law also requires all riders, regardless of age, to wear some sort of protective eyewear while riding a motorcycle.

Even the safest motorcyclists have no control over other drivers on the road, and must prepare to ride defensively and obey all posted traffic signs, in order to prevent an Ohio motorcycle accident. Make sure to use proper turn signals, mind the speed limit, and always stay visible to other vehicles around you. Wear a helmet while riding, regardless if the law requires you to.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an Ohio motorcycle accident, order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book to learn your rights. Our Ohio motorcycle lawyers can give you a free consultation and case evaluation.

Full post as published by Sandusky Personal Injury Lawyer on November 24, 2008 (boomark / email).