Maine’s Senate recently defeated a proposed mandatory helmet law according to an article, thus keeping the state one of 26 that have partial helmet laws. Unlike New Hampshire, Maine’s law covers riders 17 and younger.
The controversy over the proposed Maine law brings to mind the primary arguments for stricter helmet legislation. Motorcyclists who ride without helmets are at substantial risk for head injuries, including traumatic brain injury. Un-helmeted motorcyclists can rack up millions of dollars in medical expenses, including surgery, rehabilitation, disability payments, and aftercare. Statistics point to a significant increase in safety with the use of a proper motorcycle helmet: un-helmeted riders are up to 40 percent more likely to die in a crash and three times more likely to suffer from brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury. However, advocates of lax helmet laws point out that not all riders crash and that wearing a helmet should be a personal choice.
Many motorcyclists assume that just because they are wearing a helmet, they are exempt from injury. This is not so, as a recent client’s ordeal proves. This client was struck by a driver who was rushing to beat a traffic light and suffered a traumatic brain injury in New Hampshire so severe that he had to undergo speech therapy and physical therapy for more than eight months. We were able to help him get the compensation he deserves that he would have deserved whether or not he was wearing a helmet.
If you ride your motorcycle in Maine, be sure to follow Maine’s laws for children under the age of 18. And consider wearing a helmet no matter where you ride. If you or a loved one “helmeted or un-helmeted” has been injured in a motorcycle crash, you have legal rights.
Contact the experienced New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today by calling (603) 614-5055 for more information on our track record and free, confidential case consultation.