subject: What Are The Motorcycle Helmet Laws? [print this page] A lot of folks like to ride their motorcyclesA lot of folks like to ride their motorcycles. It is important to know the helmet laws for your state. A lot of these laws are really old and still on the books. Missouri, for example, hasn't changed the motorcycle helmet laws since 1967. As it stands today, not even half of the states require motorcycle riders to wear a helmetand 29 states dont have laws regulating bike helmet use.
Why should we care about this? Motorcycles are dangerous. Those who do not wear helmets face a significantly higher chance of serious injury and death if they are hurt in a motorcycle crash. Dont believe me? The motorcycle accident statistics are clear:
-People wearing helmets are 37% less likely to have a fatal motorcycle crash -Motorcycle riders without a helmet have a 3x greater risk of traumatic brain injury than those riders wearing helmets. -Those wearing helmets pay 8% less for medial expenses if they were injured in a motorcycle accident.
I know what youre thinking: I got on this motorcycle--I know what the risk is! It's none of the government's business if I wear a helmet or not! By all means, you could be correct, but don't disregard the reality that when states have motorcycle helmet laws close to one-hundred percent of riders wear a helmet, against half of that in states without regulations.
There is a risk in anything we ever do; but, we have to know if the risks we take are worth it. I just worry about preventing serious injuries from motorcycle accidents. I ride a motorcycle, I understand what can happen, and that's why I wear my helmet so I know that it lowers the risk of a serious injury or fatality in a motorcycle crash.
If you get on your bike, you know that you have a risk of being hurt in a motorcycle crash. Do you know what to do afterward? It is possible to be hurt in a motorcycle accident even when you are wearing a helmet. What are you going to tell the insurance adjuster? How much will medical treatment cost--how long will you need to be in rehab?
If you need help to pay expensive medical bills after you have been hurt in motorcycle accident, you may need the help of an injury attorney. Instead of spending your time trying to fight the insurance company, an injury attorney can worry about getting you help with your medical bills so you can worry about getting better.
