A study published recently by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces the number of possible serious consequences of a crash and motorcycle accident injuries that can occur, including the risks of death and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Wearing a helmet was also associated with shorter hospital stays when TBIs did occur, which translated to reduced costs for injured bikers.
The study examined data gathered by the Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation Systems (CODES) on 104,472 motorcyclists in 18 states over several years. 57 percent of the motorcyclists included in the study were wearing helmets when they crashed, while the remaining 43 percent were not.
The study found that about 40 percent of motorcyclists needed hospital treatment following a crash, whether or not they were wearing helmets at the time. However, 6.6 percent of non-helmet-wearing motorcyclists suffered a facial injury, while only 5.1 percent of helmet-wearing motorcyclists did.
Similarly, 21 percent of the non-helmet-wearing survivors suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI), while only 15 percent of the helmet-wearing survivors did. Traumatic brain injuries cost survivors, on average, 13 times more in hospital bills than other types of injuries. They also accounted for 54 percent of the deaths among motorcyclists who lost their lives in accidents.
A motorcycle helmet doesn’t guarantee that you’ll never be in a crash, but it does improve your chances of fully recovering if you are hit. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. We also ride, so we know firsthand the risks you face, but also the rewards of riding. For a free and confidential consultation via telephone, call us today at (603) 614-5055.