Motorcyclists who are concerned about being safe on North Carolina roads should know that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of acquiring a cervical spine injury in a crash. This is according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin.
The severity of traumatic brain injuries and their occurrences due to crashes are reduced when a helmet is worn. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that wearing a helmet saved an estimated 1,859 lives in 2016. If all motorcyclists had worn a helmet that year, anther 802 deaths could have been avoided.
Despite the protection the helmets provide, there are people who object to universal laws that mandate the use of motorcycle helmets. Freedom of choice is one of the main reasons some motorcyclists protest the helmet requirement. Detractors also say that the helmets restrict vision and actually increase the chance of a cervical spine injury due to the additional head weight.
Multiple studies have been conducted throughout the years to examine helmet use and the occurrence of cervical spine injuries. While a few studies have indicated a link between the use of helmets and the higher likelihood of cervical spine injuries, the results of the majority of the studies show that wearing a helmet provides no protection or produces no biomechanical danger to the cervical spine. The researchers involved with the most recent study found that the use of the helmet does protect the wearer to some degree, especially from cervical vertebrae fractures.
A personal injury attorney may pursue financial compensation on behalf of a motorcyclist injured due to another motorist’s negligence. Legal counsel could file suits against negligent parties for driving while distracted or for failing to yield.