As the weather is currently ideal for motorcycle riding in Southern California, more bikers are out riding on PCH and other scenic drives. Because additional riders are cruising the streets, there are more chances for them to get injured in an Orange County motorcycle crash.
Thankfully, the state of California has a helmet law that requires motorcycle riders to wear a helmet at all times while they are riding their bikes. As research indicates, the use of motorcycle helmets drastically reduces head and brain damage as well as deaths.
New Research Proves Motorcycle Helmets Reduce Spine Injuries
Recent research from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine has indicated that motorcycle helmets dramatically reduce cervical spine injuries and paralysis. This study discredits a myth among motorcycle riders that wearing a helmet during a motorcycle crash can be more damaging to the neck because of the weight of the helmet.
The study looked at 40,000 motorcycle crashes from 2002 to 2006 to determine if motorcycle riders benefited from helmets or if they were at higher risk for suffering cervical spine injuries due to the weight of the helmet.
The results show that 22% of helmeted motorcycle riders were less likely to sustain cervical spine injuries than riders that did not wear helmets. The study also found that the riders who wore helmets were about 65% less likely to suffer brain injuries and were less likely to die than riders without helmets.
Researchers say that people were basing their old beliefs on a 25-year-old study that was flawed. Also, motorcycle helmets have been updated drastically in the last several decades, so they are now lighter in weight as compared to the motorcycle helmets of the past.
If you believe that motorcycle helmets increase the risk of neck injuries, think again. The results of this study challenge this belief and prove that motorcycle helmets do, in fact, reduce the risk of spine injuries in the event of a Southern California motorcycle crash.
If you have been in an Orange County motorcycle accident and were injured due to no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, on-going care, physical therapy, lost income due to time off of work, and more. Call a knowledgeable Orange County personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of John P. Burns today at (877) 320-1338 for a free consultation.
You also can request a FREE copy of a book from attorney John Burns: 9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Vehicle Accident Case.