Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

It seems like Pennsylvania made a mistake when it repealed their helmet law five years ago. It might be common sense to state that as the number of motorcycle riders has gone up, so has the number of head injuries resulting in death in a state without a helmet law. Of course, some might say that it's common sense to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle even if no law is in place.

According to Dr. Kristen Mertz, the lead author of one study, after Pennsylvania repealed the helmet law, helmet use went down and the death rate rose nearly 32 percent. The number of riders hospitalized due to head injuries rose 42 percent. Dr. Mertz also mentions that the average cost of hospital bills, which doesn't include doctors' charges or post-hospital care, is around $88,000 to treat a head injury.

While Dr. Mertz admits that helmets are not perfect, they reduce the risks of serious head injury or death by 37 percent. Non-head injuries will still occur, and some head injuries may occur even if the rider is wearing a helmet, but one out of every three riders who die could have been saved by wearing a helmet.

Look for more deaths in states like Pennsylvania due to the absence of any kind of helmet law, especially since more people are switching to motorcycles due to high fuel prices.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please contact the Motorcycle Accident Lawyer site to find an experienced injury lawyer in your area.