According to a new federal report, states that require motorcycle riders to wear helmets have fewer motorcycle accident deaths and also help reduce the overall healthcare cost in the United States by $3 billion. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the report last week, indicating that states where motorcycle riders are …
According to a new federal report, states that require motorcycle riders to wear helmets have fewer motorcycle accident deaths and also help reduce the overall healthcare cost in the United States by $3 billion. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the report last week, indicating that states where motorcycle riders are not required to wear helmets have five times the number of motorcycle fatalities, compared to states that make use of a helmet while riding mandatory. If you or a loved one has suffered from injuries caused by a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma, contact our qualified motorcycle accident attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
State Helmet Requirements Save Lives
In 2010 alone, there were 4,502 fatal motorcycle accidents in the United States, which represents 14% of all road traffic deaths, despite the fact that motorcycles accounted for less than 1% of vehicle miles traveled that year. “Helmet use consistently has been shown to reduce motorcycle accident-related injuries and deaths, and the most effective strategy to increase helmet use is enactment of universal helmet laws,” the CDC concluded in its report. In Oklahoma, only motorcycle riders 17 and under are required to wear a helmet, and the helmet law covers only some low-power cycles in the state. Oklahoma also currently has no laws in place requiring bicyclists to wear helmets.
From 2008 to 2010, there were 14,283 riders killed in motorcycle accidents in the United States, with 6,057 (42%) not wearing helmets. There are currently 19 states in the U.S. that require motorcycle riders to wear helmets; these states had a combined 739 deaths involving riders not wearing helmets, compared to 504 in the three states without helmet laws. Twenty-eight U.S. states have partial helmet laws, and they had 4,814 deaths involving riders without helmets during this time period. In addition, in states where helmets are required, the report found that the state saved approximately $725 per registered rider.
Contact an OK Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
In the CDC report, researchers concluded that it was six times more likely that motorcycle riders killed in crashes did not have their helmets on in states without helmet requirements than in states with helmet laws. The data also indicated that states that do away with helmet laws see a rise in motorcycle accident fatalities and healthcare costs associated with motorcycle accident injuries. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, consult our skilled motorcycle accident lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center in Oklahoma City to discuss your legal options.