With better driving conditions, more technology and better motorcycles, Ohio residents might think that the number of motorcycle crashes have decreased over the years but they would be wrong-motorcycle related deaths have seen a 55 percent increase since 2000. More than 4500 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2010 alone.
One way to reduce not only the severity of the injury sustained in a crash but also reduce the overall number of deaths in a crash is to wear a helmet. Therefore many Ohio residents may be under the impression that it is the law to wear one, but again they would be wrong-Ohio has a partial helmet law. This means only bikers 17 years of age and younger can be compelled to wear a helmet. A universal helmet law, which requires every motorcyclist to wear a helmet despite their age, is not enacted in Ohio.
Given the fact that states where universal helmet laws are enforced save eight times more riders’ lives per 100,000, one would think that people would choose to wear a helmet themselves. But this is also not the case-for some reason or the other, many motorcyclists decide not to wear a helmet and put not only their own lives at risk but also the lives of everyone they love in flux.
Wearing a helmet is not a 100 percent guarantee that Ohio residents can escape injuries in a motorcycle accident, but it definitely improves the chances. Riders who do not wear helmets also have to pay significantly more at the hospital than their helmeted counterparts.
Where an injury has taken place in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence, an accident victim may be able to hold the other party accountable and use compensation received through a successful personal injury suit to cover some of those hospital costs.
Source: Cleveland.com, “Lives, medical costs could be spared with universal helmet laws: Dr. Russman, Cleveland Clinic,” Patrick Cooley, Dec. 22, 2014
