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Helmet Use and Preventing Head Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Head injuries are a common result of motorcycle accidents and it is mainly because of the fact that a number of motorcyclists fail to wear a helmet when riding or don on a substandard one.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS, helmets are the principal countermeasure for reducing crash-related head injuries and statistics show that failure to wear proper headgear is the leading cause of death among unhelmeted riders.

There are however, many motorcyclists who claim that helmets wouldn’t really prevent head injuries from occurring and that wearing one would only get in the way of rider’s peripheral vision and hearing. Some even claim that wearing a helmet increases the risk of neck injuries.

However, while helmets cannot absolutely prevent head injuries, studies have consistently proven its beneficial effects in curbing serious injuries or fatalities as a result of head injury. Here are some noteworthy facts and figures about motorcycle helmet use:

• Wearing a helmet can reduce a motorcyclist’s risk for severe head injuries, the likelihood of death, and the overall cost of medical care.
• A motorcycle helmet can reduce the likelihood of crash fatality by as much as 37 percent.
• Helmet use is 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries.
• In states with no helmet laws or those that mandate helmet use for young riders, death rates from head injuries are twice as high among motorcyclists compared with states where laws apply to all riders.
• In 2009, almost half of all the motorcyclists killed (41 percent) were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

Living and dealing with a head injury can be difficult as it can cause disability, brain damage, or even leave the patient in a coma for a long time. This is why all motorcyclists (and their passengers) must be diligent in wearing and selecting a motorcycle helmet. Here are tips to follow when choosing a helmet according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• It must fit the rider’s head comfortably and snugly.
• The helmet should be able to be fastened securely.
• There must be a Department of Transportation label on the helmet indicating that it conforms to the federal standard.

However, if you still injured a head injury in a motorcycle accident either because of a severe accident triggered by another person’s negligence or because the helmet cracked because it was substandard, you have means to recover damages against the negligent motorist and the helmet manufacturing company.