Daytona Beach, Florida was home to the annual motorcycle festival called Biketoberfest this October. The event shows how popular Florida is with bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts. The warm weather and open roads seem to be a perfect fit for riders. Riding a motorcycle can also be dangerous, particularly when you are not wearing a helmet. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded that of the 14,283 bikers died who died in motorcycle accidents between 2008 and 2010 about 42% were not wearing helmets. Almost 10% of all motorcycle related fatalities were in accidents that happened in Florida.
Florida’s motorcycle helmet law
In Florida, the law requiring all motorcycle riders to wear helmets was repealed in July 2000. The current law only requires bikers to wear helmets if they are under the age of 21 or do not have medical insurance of at least $10,000. The National Transportation Safety Board released data showing a substantial increase in motorcycle accident related deaths in the first three years following the new laws.
Helmet safety tips
The best safety advice for all bikers is to wear a helmet. The absence of a helmet can be used to reduce the recovery paid to an injured biker. The helmet is the best protection against suffering a serious head injury such as a traumatic brain injury. Motorcycle riders are at greater risk of suffering a serious head injury in an accident because of the comparatively lighter motorcycle and exposed nature of its occupants.
Bikers should also be sure to have a helmet that:
- Is tested and approved by the Department of Transportation as complying with all federal safety standards
- Fits the rider correctly
- Has not already been involved in an accident
- Is not a novelty or designer helmet; these tend to be lighter and do not provide adequate protection in an accident
Injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents are too often devastating or fatal. A Florida motorcycle accident attorney with experience and proven results in litigating motorcycle accident cases on behalf of injured bikers can help you obtain the recovery to which you are entitled.