Motorcycle Helmet Laws - Stewart J. Guss, Attorney At Law

The

e e no fedel ls th

t m

te helmet use

hen opeting oiding

ssenge

moto

cycle. T

o st

tes, Io

nd Illinois, cu

ently h

ve no ls gove

ning helmet use. Nineteen st

tes h

ve m

y helmet ls fo

both ope

nd p

ssenge

s. The

ining 29 st

tes — including Tex

s — h

ge minimums fo

helmet us

ge.

C
se Study: Tex
s Moto
cycle Helmet Ls<
h2>
hile the Tex
s Dep

tment of Public S
fety m
nd
tes
ll
ide
s
nd p
ssenge
s
e
helmet, the
e

e exceptions. Those
ho
ide
moto
cycle
nd h
ve completed
tining cou
se m
y not need to
e
helmet. The
e is
lso
n exception fo
those
ho h
ve
he
lth insunce
ide
th
t p
ovides fo minimum of $10,000 in medic
l benefits specific
lly fo
inju
ies sust
ined
hile opeting
moto
cycle.
ll ope

to
s unde
the
ge of 21 e
equi
ed to
e
helmet — no exceptions.

Moto
cycle Helmet S
fety St
nd

ds

Guidelines dict

te moto

cycle helmet p

oduction st

ds. The<

ef=”https://one.nhts

.gov

people/inju

pedbimot/NoMig

te/fmvss218.htm” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

efee

“> Dep

tment of T

nspo

tion > (DOT)

nd the N

tion

l High

y T

ffic S

fety

dminist

tion (NHTS

) set out these st

ds.

The DOT h

ndles helmet testing th

t st

tes helmets must pe

in minimum fo

ong>Vision<
st
ong> - <
h
ef="https:
/
.dictiony.com
b
o
se/pe
iphel-vision?s=t" tget="_bl
nk”
el="noopene
nofollo
no
efe

e
">Pe
iphe

l vision >—d
ive
s must see 105 deg
ees f
om the middle of the helmet. Since most people h
ve 120 deg
ees of pe
iphe

l vision, the helmet should not imp
i
mo
e th
n 15 deg
ees of vision.<
li>
ong>Penettion<
st
ong> - The helmet must
ithst
nd
ce
t
in
mount of fo
ce f
om
n item th
t m
y pie
ce the helmet but not the he
d.
ong>Imp
ct ong> -
ll moto
cycle helmets must
ithst
nd
t le
st 400G
hen hitting
solid su
f
ce.<
li>
ong>
etention ong> - Helmet stps must
ithst
nd
specific
mount of fo
ce
nd not come off the opeto
’s he
d.<
li>

Unfo

tun

tely,

ll too often, helmets do not meet these st

ingent st

ndds. M

ide

nd p

ssenge

s pu

se<

ef="https:

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.dot.gov

files/documents/14283-identify_uns

fe_moto

cycle_helmets_070919_v4_t

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nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

efe

"> novelty helmets<> th

t they believe offe

them the p

otection they need to

in s

fe in

ccident. Ho

eve

, these helmets p

esent se

ious p

oblems th

t c

n le

d to life-

lte

ing inju

ies.

Moto
cycle Helmet Ls Not F
ee of Cont
ove
sy

ef=”https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitst

m/h

ndle

2027.42/683/36687.0001.001.pdf;jsessionid=

341

30E705F954EB42

E65EB

E1B5DD?sequence=2″ t

get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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efee

“>Legisl

es st

ted p

ssing moto

cycle s

fety ls<>

s f

s 1967. Since then, nume

ous ch

llenges h

sse

ted th

t helmet l

s inf

inge on the Constitution

ights of the opeto

t is inte

esting to note is th

t in 1976, 46 st

tes h

d m

y helmet ls. Ove

time, the

e h

ve been nume

ous cou

t ch

llenges, nging f

om loc

l ch

llenges to Sup

eme Cou

t ch

llenges to helmet ls. In nely

ll c

ses, the cou

ts h

ve upheld the

ight of

isdiction to impose helmet l

Some moto

cycle enthusi

sts <

ef=”https://

.cyclehelmets.o

g/1052.html” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

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efee

“>cite question

ble studies<> to bolste

thei

theo

y th

t helmets do little to p

otect moto

cyclists. Theidvoc

tes believe younge

opeto

s should

helmet, but believe th

ough educ

tion

nd keeping out of d

nge

ous situ

tions, most

dult moto

cyclists g

in no benefit f

om helmet use.

Some

dvoc

tes h

lso p

omoted the theo

y th

t moto

cycle helmets c

n ex

te he

nd neck inju

ies

hen ope

ting

moto

cycle. This opinion pe

sists despite<

ef="https:

.hopkinsmedicine.o

g/ne

medi

ele

ses/moto

cycle_helmets_

educe_spine_inju

ies_

fte

_collisions_helmet_

eight_

isk_to_neck_c

lled_

_myth” t

get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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efee

“> nume

ous studies<> th

t sho

dec

se of

s much

s 37% in de

ths

dec

s high

s 65% in tum

tic b

in inju

ies

hen

moto

cyclist in

ccident

es p

ope

dge

The Ide
l Spot fo
Moto
cycle Opeto
s

To fully enjoy the open

moto

cycle ope

is inte

ested in

tively smooth

ds, g

the

nd b

tht

king scene

y. The

e is little doubt th

t fuel efficiency, the f

eedom of the open

nd g

the

offe

ide

l conditions fo

moto

cyclists.

C
se Study: Be
utiful, but Potenti
lly De
dly<
h2>
Unfo
tun
tely,
o
d

ys

e
lso home to some<
h
ef="https:
/ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/t
f
c

sh_st
tistics
2019/01.pdf” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
nofollo
no
efee
“> f
ightening
ccident st
tistics<>. Fo
ex
mple, in one
ecent ye

,
pe
son lost thei
life eve
y t
o hou
s
nd 26 minutes on Tex
s
o
d

ys.

He
e e some othe
st
tistics pe
t
ining to<
h
ef="https:
/ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/t
f
c

sh_st
tistics
2019/10.pdf” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
nofollo
no
efee
“> moto
cycle cshes in Tex
s >:

Of the 410 f
t
lities
ssoci
ted
ith moto
cycle
ccidents, 185 victims did not h
ve
helmet on. (Fo
18 f
t
lities, it s unkno
n.)

Of the 1,810
ccidents involving
moto
cycle
he
e
se
ious inju
y occu

ed, 1,662 victims
e
e d
ive
s
nd 148
e
e p
ssenge
s.<
li>

Most moto
cycle
ccidents occu
bet
een M
y
nd Octobe

nnu
lly.<
li>

ustin, Co
pus Ch
isti, D
ll
s, El P
so, Fo
t
o
th, Houston, Lubbock, Odess
,
nd S
n
ntonio h
ve the highest incidents of f
t
l moto
cycle cshes.<
li>

The
ge of victims in both <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
se
vices
ongful-de
th-
tto
neys
“>f
t
l
ccidents<>
nd se
ious inju
y moto
cycle
ccidents

s in
b
o
d nge,
hich m
kes it difficult to dete
mine if inexpe
ience pl
yed

ole in the p
imy c
use of the c

shes.

Keeping Moto
cyclists S
fe on
o
d

ys

nyone

ho is ope

ting

moto

cycle needs to be

e of

isdiction’s

pplic

ble l

In Tex

s, fo

mple, opeto

esponsible fo

Holding
v
lid moto
cycle license<
li>
Not c
ying
p
ssenge
unde
the
ge of five
Ensu
ing p
ssenge
s unde
the
ge of 21 e
e

ing
n
pp
oved helmet<
li>
eing
n
pp
oved helmet if you h
ve not met the
equi
ements fo ive

Moto

cycle opeto

s c

n still suffe se

ious inju

y bec

use of the c

eless beh

vio

nothe

ive

on the

ccidents th

esult in se

ious inju

y c

esult in moto

cycle ope

s needing

eeks,

nd in some c

ses months o

yes, of

ecove

y time. Some inju

ies th

t occu

in <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

uses-of-moto

cycle-

ccidents

“>moto

cycle

ccidents > include:

ong>Inte
n
l inju
ies <
st
ong>- Victims often suffe
“hidden” inju
ies follo
ing
moto
cycle c

sh. Inte
n
l bleeding c
n le
d to d
nge
ous levels of blood loss. Even if you think the
ccident you
e
e involved in s mino
, you must seek immedi
te medic
l c

e to ensu
e you e not suffe
ing f
om
n inju
y th
t c
n le
d to mo
e se
ious consequences.
ong>Soft tissue inju
ies ong> -
hile you m
y think the
ches
nd p
ins of “
hipl
sh”

e common follo
ing
ny
ccident, soft tissue inju
ies c
n t
ke
eeks to he
l
nd c
n be ve
y p
inful. P
in in muscles, tendons,
nd lig
ments m
y be signs of
mo
e se
ious inju
y. Keep in mind,
he
ni
ted ouptu
ed disc c
n get much
o
se ove
time,
nd this type of soft tissue inju
y c
n le
ve you
ith life-long p
in.
ong>He
d t

um
<
st
ong> - Victims of moto
cycle
ccidents often suffe
he
d tum
, even
hen they e
e

ing
helmet. <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
inju
ies-common-moto
cycle-
ccidents
“>T

um
tic bin inju
ies > (TBI) e s
dly too common follo
ing
moto
cycle
ccident. Victims c
n suffe
life-long issues, including cognitive
nd mobility issues follo
ing
n
ccident
ith
n unt
e
ted o
undi
gnosed TBI.
ong>Spin
l co
d d
m
ge<
st
ong> - Victims c
n suffe
inju
ies th
t c
n le
d to p
in fo
dec
des follo
ing
moto
cycle
ccident. Mo
e seve
e c

shes c
n p
lyze
victim. If you h
ve been involved in
moto
cycle
ccident
nd notice
ny se
ious b
ck p
in, even
fe
d
ys follo
ing the
ccident, seek immedi
te medic
l ce.<
li>
ong>B
oken bones ong> -
hen you get th
o
n f
om
moto
cycle, the ch
nces of
b
oken bone

e ext
emely high. The
e is nothing to p
otect you f
om the imp
ct of hitting the
o
dy. Pelvic b
e
ks, legs, ms,
nd b
oken
ibs c
n
ll
esult in long pe
iods of he
ling
nd in ext
eme c
ses m
y
equi
e su
gic
l inte
vention.
ong>He
d
nd f
ci
l inju
ies ong> - Unfo
tun
tely, even the best helmet
ill not p
event
ll he
d
nd f
ci
l inju
ies. Victims c
n suffe
b
oken noses, b
oken teeth o
j

s,
nd b
oken cheekbones follo
ing
moto
cycle
ccident. Not only

e these inju
ies p
inful, but they c
n
lso me
n
pe
m
nent ch
nge in you
ove

ll
ppe
nce.

ell-fitted helmet m
y
educe the
isk of these inju
ies.

hile m

ny st

tes

llo

you to opete

moto

cycle

ithout

helmet, it is

good ide

to h

oved helmet

ith

cegud th

t c

n minimize he

nd f

ce inju

ies in

ccident. Getting the

ight medic

l ce follo

ing

moto

cycle

ccident is c

uci

l to youecove

y. Even if you think you

inju

ies

e only mild, you should see

docto

. Often, victims of

ccident

e un

e of the seve

ity of thei

inju

ies. You

inju

ies m

y not be immedi

tely disce

nible, but if left un

ttended could le

d to mo

e se

ious he

lth issues.

Helmet Ls
nd
ccident Li
bility

One of the issues th

t victims often

sk moto

cycle

ccident

tto

neys: “

t h

ppens if I

m not

eing

helmet

hen involved in

ccident?” The

e is no simple

to this. Ho

eve

, one thing to

emembe

: Insunce comp

djuste

ill p

bly t

y to hold this

inst you.

hen you e in

ccident th

s not you

ult, insu

ill still do

nything possible to bl

me you.

ddition

lly, if you

e not

ing

helmet, the insu

the

t-f

ult p

ty’s l

y cl

im you dese

ve no d

ges o

educed

mount of d

ges.

Unde

nd th

t f

iling to

helmet does not me

n th

t you c

n't seek compens

tion.

n expe

ienced moto

cycle

tto

ney

ill t

look

t the issues the cou

t might use to dete

mine

ole the l

ck of

helmet m

y h

ve on you

im, including:

You
pticip
tion in
nd completion of the tining
nd s
fety cou
ses
equi
ed by st
te l<
li>
You

e c
ying the p
ope
insunce pl
n th
t
llo
s you to d
ive
ithout
helmet
hethe
you h
d
ny p
ssenge
s
t the time of the
ccident
nd theiges<
li>
You

ge
t the time of the
ccident
he
e
nd
hen the
ccident occued<
li>
h
t d
m
ges you incu

ed
s esult of the
ccident

In these c

ses, you need

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

vices

moto

cycle-

ccident-l

“>moto

cycle

ccident l

<> se

ving

s youdvoc

te. Even

hen

ccident is clely not you

ult,

n insu

nce comp

ill do eve

ything possible to minimize thei

bility. H

ving

dvoc

ho unde

nds moto

cycle ls including helmet ls, c

n m

signific

nt diffe

ence in the negoti

tion p

ocess.

ll kno

st success is not

lys

good me

e of

ill h

ppen

ith futu

e c

ses, but

tto

ney

ho h

histo

y of st

nding up fo

clients,

ill

ys st

nd up fo

clients.

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cycle

ccident

tto

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t-guss

“>Ste

t J. Guss<><

figc

ption><

figu

ing

moto

cycle helmet is

good pctice,

dless of the st

te’s helmet ls. ell-m

de helmet c

n help

bso

b some of the shock of

ccident th

ing you f

om you

bike.

ese

ch sho

ef="https:

.cdc.gov

moto

vehicles

fety/c

lcul

ctsheet

mchelmet.html” t

get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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efee

“> moto

cycle helmets do s

ve lives > even

hen you

e involved in

ious

ccident. If you o loved one s in

ccident

hile ope

ting

moto

cycle,

lye

n help you unde

nd ho

the l

ffect you

nd the compens

tion you m

y seek.

You need to kno

t options e

ble to you,

nd the best y to do th

t is to

tto

ney to

evie

you

se. Do not t

nce on getting less compens

tion th

n you m

y be entitled to collect fo

you

inju

ies follo

ing

moto

cycle

ccident,

nd neve

let the insunce comp

ny off the hook f

om theiesponsibilities. You h

ights,

nd <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

cont

ct-us

“>cont

cting<>

n expe

ienced moto

cycle

ccident

tto

ney

s soon

s possible

fte

moto

cycle

ccident c

n p

otect them.

ong>Ste

t J. Guss, Inju

ccident L

ong> 12777 Jones

d #297
Houston, TX 77070
(281) 664-6500

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A Closer Look at Motorcycle Helmet Laws

Moto
cycle Helmet S
fety St
nd

ds

Moto
cycle Helmet Ls Not F
ee of Cont
ove
sy

The Ide
l Spot fo
Moto
cycle Opeto
s

Keeping Moto
cyclists S
fe on
o
d

ys

Helmet Ls
nd
ccident Li
bility

Testimonials

Motocycle Helmet S fety Stnd ds

Moto cycle Helmet Ls Not Fee of Cont ovesy

The Ide l Spot fo Moto cycle Opetos

Keeping Moto cyclists Sfe on od ys

Helmet Ls nd ccident Libility

Testimonials

Read More

Moto
cycle Helmet S
fety St
nd

ds

Moto
cycle Helmet Ls Not F
ee of Cont
ove
sy

The Ide
l Spot fo
Moto
cycle Opeto
s

Keeping Moto
cyclists S
fe on
o
d

ys

Helmet Ls
nd
ccident Li
bility