States like Georgia that have universal motorcycle helmet laws in place see fewer wrongful deaths in motorcycle accidents compared to states that do not have such laws. The findings of a new study seem to confirm this conclusion. Hopefully, studies of this nature will encourage states without mandatory motorcycle helmet laws to make changes to their laws.
The results of the study were published recently in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The researchers compared motorcycle accident fatality rates in North Carolina, which requires all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets, with the rates in South Carolina which only requires motorcyclists below the age of 21 to wear helmets. The researchers found in their analysis that motorcycle accident wrongful death rates were lower when the state mandated helmets for all, regardless of age or motorcycling experience.
Not only did wearing motorcycle helmets lead to a much lower chance of being killed in motorcycle accidents, but it also reduced the risk of serious personal injuries in a motorcycle accident. The researchers found that when the state mandated universal motorcycle helmet usage, the risk of serious injuries was significantly lower with just about 25% of motorcyclists wearing helmets admitted to the ICU for injuries sustained in the accident. In contrast, close to 40% of non-helmeted motorcyclists required admission into an ICU for treatment after the accident. Not only were they more likely to be admitted into an ICU after suffering an injury in an accident, but they were also more likely to require longer hospitalization, compared to those who were wearing a helmet at the time.
They were also more likely to spend longer periods of time on a ventilator, compared to helmeted motorcyclists. Overall, the fatality rate for riders who were not wearing motorcycle helmets was approximately 7%, compared to 4% for those who were wearing helmets at the time of the accident. This is a substantial difference between riders who will survive a motorcycle accident and those who will lose their lives.
Moreover, the lack of universal motorcycle helmet laws also seemed to discourage younger persons from wearing helmets. When the state only required motorcyclists below the age of 21 to wear helmets, about 33% of motorcyclists of that age who were in fatal accidents were not wearing helmets, compared to just 10% of young motorcyclists in the state with universal motorcycle helmet laws.
States like Georgia that have universal motorcycle helmet laws require both motorcyclists and passengers to wear helmets when they are on a motorcycle. Universal motorcycle helmets laws substantially increase helmet usage rates because there are often penalties associated with failure to wear a helmet in these states Higher motorcycle helmet usage rates mean that a majority of motorcyclists are properly equipped to prevent head injuries in the event of a motorcycle accident.
The Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in motorcycle accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in an accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical costs, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case. Initial consultations are free.