An individual’s chance of surviving a motorcycle crash increases significantly when the rider wears a helmet, and California motorcycle accident lawyers are well aware of this fact. The NHTSA has recently conducted a study that examines how the use of a helmet decreases the risk of varying degrees of TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury.) Hospital expenses in those who do wear helmets and those that don’t are another area of the study. The study has shown, to no one’s surprise, that those motorcyclists that do wear a helmet experience less risk of TBI, and also have less hospital expenses.
This study was conducted using data from the years 2003,2004 and 2005, which included 104,472 motorcyclists in 18 states. In this study, 43% of the motorcyclists did not wear helmets, and 57% did at the time the accidents occurred. Across both groups, an interesting fact was proven: Whether they were or were not wearing a helmet, 40% of the motorcyclists received severe injuries or died due to the accident. California personal injury attorneys realize that a large portion of those who ride motorcycles are victims of serious injuries or death when a crash occurs.
In the study conducted by the NHTSA, 6.6 % who did not wear a helmet suffered moderate to severe injuries to the face or head. In those motorcyclists who did wear helmets, only 5.1% experienced severe injuries. As far as Traumatic Brain Injury, only 15% of helmeted riders experienced this, compared to 21% in those who did not wear a helmet. The study showed a very distinct difference in those who suffered a serious brain injury, depending on whether or not they wore a helmet. This study does prove the difference in the occurrence of severe TBI based on motorcyclists who did wear helmets versus those that did not.
Not surprisingly, statistics prove that motorcyclists who do wear a helmet have a much lower chance of being the victim of either head or face injuries, brain injury or death. Hospital costs were also measured in the study, which concluded that expenses for those who suffered TBI were substantially higher – in fact 13 times higher than for those motorcyclists who did not suffer TBI. Non TBI patients had a hospital bill averaging $2,461, while those that did suffer a TBI had charges of approximately $31,979.
Naturally, those who did not suffer TBI went home much quicker, and were not as likely to die while in the hospital, or to spend time in a long term care or rehab facility. Over half of the motorcyclists who were hospitalized with TBI died. Fatalities caused by motorcycle accidents continue to increase, and the NHTSA conducted this study as part of ongoing efforts to lower the incidence of fatalities in motorcycle crashes.
The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of motorcycle accidents. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.