Would you invest $12 to save your life? What about to prevent a concussion or a Traumatic Brain Injury? It’s a small price to pay to prevent a head injury. Statistics show, however, that there are still too many bicycle riders who ride without a bicycle helmet. Yet a good-quality helmet can be purchased for as little as $12.
In fact, Consumer Reports gave a very good overall rating to a $12 helmet made by Schwinn called the Merge, but there are many other styles that can cost up to $220.
Indeed, statistics compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that 87 percent of bike riders who were killed in traffic accidents in the past 20 years were riding without a helmet.
Additionally, a 2013 study by the Institute of Medicine learned that traumatic brain injuries could be reduced by roughly 70 percent if a person wears a helmet during sports.
“These injuries are not 100 percent preventable with a helmet, but certainly you can significantly reduce the impact on your brain with a helmet and thus lessen the severity of your injuries or even save your life,” said Attorney James Johnson, whose personal injury law firm has helped many injured cyclists through difficult times after a crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2012 that 726 cyclists were killed and 49,000 were hurt in traffic accidents involving motor vehicles in the United States. In California, there were 124 people killed in accidents involving cyclists or about 4.3 percent of all 2,857 fatal crashes reported in 2012. Some 14,000 others were injured in traffic accidents the same year.
California Bicycle Laws
Adults and children should wear bicycle helmets. Children model parent’s behaviors.Still want to ride without a helmet? If you are a parent, it’s important to consider modeling the behavior you want your children to follow. If you yourself use one, your children are likely to do so as well. Start when they are young and hopefully they will continue to use one out of habit.
In California, since 1994, children who are under 18 years old are required to wear a helmet and they can be filed $25 if they do not. Still many young people often do not wear their helmets and enforcement of these laws is weak at best. In February this year, Sen. Carol Liu, D-La Cañada Flintridge proposed a bill to require adults to also wear helmets or face similar fines.
Bicyclists Are Vulnerable
There is no question that bicyclists are vulnerable to injury and death on California roadways whether they are wearing a helmet or not. Despite new laws such as the 3 Feet for Safety that require motorists to give a cushion of space between them and cyclists, there are still far too many riders hurt or killed in crashes throughout the state.
Johnson Attorneys Group has helped many injured cyclists through the legal process and we can help you too. We want to make it easy for you to make a decision so we provide a no-obligation free consultation to provide you with options. Call us today at 800-235-6801.
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