What are the Motorcycle Helmet Laws in Georgia?

    ATLANTA, GA, September 21, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In the state of Georgia, motorcycle helmet laws require that anyone riding on or driving a motorcycle wear a helmet. This is a controversial law, opposed by several bikers' rights groups, but overwhelming evidence suggests that helmets do, in fact, save lives. According to data collected over a 25 year period by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of helmets decreases a biker's risk of sustaining fatal injury in a motorcycle accident by over 35 percent.

The Research

The IIHS and NHTSA looked at the effectiveness of different types of helmets in their study. What they found was that full helmets are 42 percent effective at preventing death and 60 percent effective at preventing head injuries. This same study found that bikers who wore partial or open helmets were more than twice as likely to suffer traumatic brain injury in accidents as those who had full coverage.

Riding a motorcycle is an accepted risk. Motorcycles offer inimitable freedom, and an experience of the open road that is simply not achievable through other forms of travel. The truth is, motorcycles provide a higher risk of catastrophic personal injury, but they are involved in fewer accidents.

According to crash data obtained by the Georgia Department of Transportation, motorcycles were involved in only .6 percent of motor vehicle accidents from 2000-2006. However, in these accidents, bikers were 72 percent more likely to suffer fatal injuries. It is due to these risks that the state of Georgia has decided to make wearing a helmet mandatory for all bikers.

Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Of course, even with a helmet, a motorcycle accident may result in serious injury. Protective gear outside of helmets is not required in Georgia, which can leave a biker open to road rash, broken bones, spinal cord damage, and even the loss of a limb.

When you suffer an accident on a motorcycle, your medical bills, loss of ability to work, and emotional distress can all have a dramatic impact on your quality of life.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident in or around Atlanta, Georgia, please visit the website of the experienced personal injury attorney at Robbins & Associates, P.C. at www.robbinslaw.com.

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