In 2014 the United States lost over 4,000 lives to motorcycle accidents. South Carolina alone lost 121. Many of these deaths could have been prevented by wearing a Department of Transportation approved helmet. The evidence points to helmets reducing the likelihood of economic, physical, and emotional damage caused by a motorcycle accident. Here are the 4 major benefits of wearing a helmet:
1. Helmets Do Not Pose Any Risk
The choice to wear or not wear a helmet is often presented as one of personal responsibility. Under South Carolina law only riders under the age of 20 are required to wear a helmet while on a motorcycle, leading many adults to choose not to wear one.
One of the most common arguments against wearing a helmet is that they reduce sight and hearing significantly, making motorcycle riders a danger to other drivers. Another claim often made is that helmets can cause injuries during a high-speed impact. However, according to the CDC, neither of these claims are true. DOT approved helmets do not decrease visibility nor increase injury in the event of a motorcycle accident. As a result, wearing a helmet is often the wiser decision.
2. Helmets Can Reduce the Chance of Injury
Helmets often prevent serious injuries, specifically to the brain which is extremely vulnerable in a high speed motorcycle crash. Traumatic brain injuries, such as contusions or brain bleeding, can severely affect quality of life by hindering mobility, memory, or speech. Basic everyday tasks can become difficult or impossible with a TBI. Doctors link TBIs to an increased risk of developing epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Even a concussion, a mild form of TBI, can cause cumulative damage.
CDC estimates claim that wearing a helmet could reduce the chances or severity of a TBI by 69%. Certain types of helmets may also protect against facial injuries by limiting exposure during a crash.
3. Wearing a Helmet Could Save You Money
Motorcycle accidents and the resulting health care for victims can be expensive. Medical costs alone are often a heavy financial blow, not including the lost wages and rehabilitation that can follow a serious injury. By reducing the chances of serious injury, helmets can also reduce the monetary damages involved in a collision. The CDC estimates that helmets save the states billions of dollars in health care and could save individual victims several thousand dollars.
4. Helmets Can Save Your Life
Of the 121 motorcycle accident fatalities in South Carolina, 95 of the victims were not wearing a helmet. If the state had 100% helmet compliance, it might have saved as many as 36 additional people—about a third. Helmets may have already saved 15 people involved in a motorcycle crash. Head injuries are the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents, and helmets could reduce the chances of fatal head injuries by as much as 42%. Nationwide, helmets might have saved as many as 1,630 people in 2013 alone.
Even while wearing a helmet, you could still be injured in a motorcycle crash. If you’ve been injured or you’ve lost someone in a fatal motorcycle accident, don’t delay in getting help from an experienced accident attorney.
At Guest & Brady, we can assist you in dealing with insurance companies and injury law to help get you the settlement you need with competent legal knowledge. Contact us today for a consultation to discuss filing a motorcycle accident claim in detail by calling (864) 233-7200.
