Number Of Fatal Indiana Motorcycle Accidents Making Legislators Consider Mandatory Helmet Laws

July 18, 2012

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an unhelmeted motorcyclist is 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury and 15 percent more likely to suffer a non-fatal injury than a helmeted motorcyclist in a crash. Several recent fatal Indiana Motorcycle Accidents have highlighted the dangers of riding motorcycles without helmets.

Take, for instance, the case of a 66-year-old man who died early Friday after being involved in an Indianapolis motorcycle crash. According to the Indy Star, the crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on Southeastern Avenue, near South Sheridan Avenue. Reports indicate that the victim was part of a group of motorcyclists traveling west on Southeastern at a high rate of speed. The rider, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, missed a turn and hit a curb, which ejected him from the machine. He was declared dead at the scene.

The rise in the number of accidents has many legislators considering mandatory helmet laws. Currently, Indiana state law only requires those who are under the age of 17 to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.

The Terre Haute Personal Injury Lawyers with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos, and Newlin ask that all motorcycle riders do their part to stay safe on the highway by always wearing a helmet every time you ride, even if it is just going to be a short trip.