Lack of Helmet Law Contributes to Motorcycle Accident Fatalities

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Car Accidents

It is no secret that motorcycle accidents are among the most frequent and common severe vehicle accidents that occur on the nation’s highways. It has also been widely publicized in recent years that the number of serious motorcycle accidents continues to increase. This is due in part to the fact that there are more motorcycle drivers on the road than ever before. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the number of registered motorcycles in the country has increased from about 4 million in 1997 to approximately 7 million in 2006. The number of registered riders has steadily increased from 2002 to the present. The increase in registered riders alone accounts for a 61 percent increase in the number of riders involved in accidents. The number of fatalities rose from 2,028 to 4,654 in the same time period—a staggering increase of 129 percent.

The most dangerous type of impact is a front-end impact on a motorcycle — more than 40 percent of these types of accidents resulted in an incapacitating injury to the driver and nearly 70 percent of these were fatal. The most common type of motorcycle accident injury is one sustained to the lower extremities, primarily the legs. The second most common type of motorcycle injury is one to the upper extremities or the head. Helmet laws, requiring motorcycle drivers to wear head protection, are enacted on a state-by-state basis. Illinois is one of only three states (alongside Iowa and New Hampshire) to not have a mandatory helmet law.

According to the Center for Disease Control, this costs Illinois a significant amount of money every year, and likely contributes to the high motorcycle fatality numbers in the state. The CDC reports that in 2010, only four lives were saved by helmet use per 100,000 registered motorcycles. In neighboring Michigan, to contrast, 27 lives were saved per 100,000 registered motorcycles in 2010. Michigan enacted a partial helmet law in 2012.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle accident in which you were not at fault, you are likely eligible for compensation. Do not go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Chicago accident attorney today.