Motorcycle Helmets Are Not Foolproof When It Comes To Traumatic Brain Injury

While motorcycle helmets do help to reduce the severity of traumatic brain injury, they are not foolproof.

When it comes to all but the most minor motorcycle accidents, it is virtually a given that the biker will suffer some form of traumatic brain injury. The same thing is usually true with car crashes. The head is highly vulnerable. Once it is rudely jostled around inside the skull, traumatic brain injury is inevitable.

Did you know that just about one out of every five biker accidents end up with neck or head injuries? Many of these types of injuries are also fatal. The unfortunate thing is that most car drivers just do not see bikers and as a result, they do not yield the right of way to them. Instead, they either turn right in front of them or cut them off. Death often stalks accidents like that. Statistics also show that per mile ridden, a biker is, on average, 32 times more likely to die in an accident than a passenger in a car.

Even bikers who choose to wear their safety helmets may sustain blunt force injuries to the front of the head. This usually ends up damaging the parts of the brain that deal with speech and other higher functions. Those who have chosen to not wear safety gear may run the higher risk of a penetrating head injury, causing direct soft tissue damage to the brain. In either case, the results are not pretty.

It is quite evident that the best way to prevent or, with luck, reduce the severity of a traumatic brain injury is to wear the helmet, whether you like it or not. The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved helmets that have been proven to make a difference in motorcycle crashes. No one said they were foolproof, but they do give the biker a better chance of not becoming a brain-impaired vegetable.

Did you know that in some states, a biker’s failure to provide a passenger with a helmet may be considered to be negligence, particularly if the passenger is under the age of 21? Additionally, if the helmet used is not up to state or federal guidelines, had been in an accident before or does not fit properly, it may be considered to be illegal and will not offer the right kind of protection against traumatic brain injuries.

If you ride, ride with your safety and a passenger’s safety in mind. Quite literally, your life depends on it. If you need legal assistance as the result of being in a motorcycle crash, make your first call to an experienced Austin injury lawyer. Find out what the rules are in your state and how to move forward with a lawsuit.

Brooks Schuelke is an Austin personal injury attorney with Perlmutter & Schuelke PLLC. Contact an Austin injury lawyer at Civtrial.com or (512) 476-4944.