Motorcycle Crash Accidents and California Helmet Law

The state of California has one of the strictest laws when in it comes to helmet use. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the state requires all riders and passengers, regardless of their age, to wear helmet every time they ride a motorcycle.

Several studies have proven that wearing a helmet can significantly reduce head and neck injuries which are the most common causes of death in motorcycle accident in Los Angeles.

In a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a helmet could have saved 37 people out of 100 deaths caused by motorbike accidents. With this glaring finding, all states (except New Hampshire, Iowa, and Illinois) passed several laws on the use of helmets.

Despite that motorcyclists only represent 0.5 percent of all vehicles miles travel in 2007, they accounted for nearly 13 percent of road fatalities across the US, according to Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) President Tim Buche.

MSF also found another alarming trend: motorcycle-related deaths have increased for the past 10 years in contrast to the declining number of fatalities among other road users.

With such looming problem, MSF urges the federal and state government to pass legislations that will improve road safety for motorcyclists.

According to road safety experts, the US has fewer safety laws compared to most European countries. Currently, only 20 states have universal mandatory helmet laws.

Improving road safety laws are important since in 2007 alone, more than 7 million motorbikes were registered and more women are now using this vehicle compared to the past decades.

Some experts also said there is no existing law in the country that requires manufacturers to meet any certification standard in making motorbike safety gears such as gloves, boots, and armor.

However, safety laws do not guarantee that road accidents will not happen. According to several studies, a huge percentage of riders who are injured or killed in motorbike accidents were found to be using mobile phones or portable music devices at the time of the accident. This finding suggested that most victims are reckless themselves.

Phones and MP3s are not the only factors that contribute to the increasing number of fatalities. According to researchers, the popularity of SUV has increased the fatality rate because of its particular design that when a motorcyclist hit this vehicle, his body will slam directly to this, instead of careening over as with low-roofed cars.

Meanwhile, despite passing safety laws to regulate motorbike riders, it is up to motorcycle riders to make their travel safe. By simply obeying traffic rules, wearing helmets and safety gears, and being extra alert, one can significantly reduce the risk of being seriously injured in accidents.

To help you deal with issues on motorcycle crash and other vehicle accidents, consult with our expert Los Angeles motorcycle crash lawyers. Visit our website and avail of our free case consultation.

About The Author To help you deal with issues on motorcycle crash and other vehicle accidents, consult with our expert Los Angeles motorcycle crash lawyers. Visit our website at http://www.personalinjurydefenders.com/ and avail of our free case consultation.