No Motorcycle Helmet? Could Cost You Money, Too
It's been proven that motorcycle helmets do save lives and help prevent catastrophic injuries--even if some riders still resist wearing them.
Despite the opposition, a number of states have passed mandatory motorcycle helmet laws. These safety regulations have also been consistently upheld in the face of constitutional challenges.
But there's actually another reason you should consider wearing a motorcycle helmet: it could cost you a lot of money if you're ever in an accident.
Negligence law varies from state to state, but the failure to wear a motorcycle helmet almost certainly will impact how much money a person can recover for their injuries should an accident occur.
In some jurisdictions, a failure to wear a motorcycle helmet is evidence of one's own negligence. Even if the helmet had nothing to do with the accident itself, if it's shown that wearing a motorcycle helmet could have prevented or lessened injuries, the law may only permit partial or no recovery at all.
In other jurisdictions--particularly those with mandatory helmet laws--the failure to wear a helmet may be considered the proximate, or legal, cause of the motorcyclist's injuries. If this is the case, the helmetless rider is out luck and will have to pay for his injuries himself.
Even if you're not subject to a mandatory motorcycle helmet law, and you object to the way they block the wind from your hair, it's clear that wearing one while out on the open road is the best way to protect yourself.
Related Resources:
- Motorcycle Accidents - Overview (FindLaw)
- Motorcycle Accidents - FAQ (FindLaw)
- Contributory and Comparative Negligence (FindLaw)
- Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Spotlights Safety Issues and Helmet Laws (FindLaw's Injured)