By Jeffrey Nadrich
Jeff Nadrich is a bicycle accident lawyer with Nadrich & Cohen, LLP. He has more than 25 years of experience successfully defending clients, and he continues to represent accident victims all across California.
Do you have children? Do those children enjoy bicycle riding? Biking is a wonderful, healthy activity that gets kids away from the X-Box and out into nature. They get the physical activity they need, and they experience firsthand just how rewarding it can be to soar freely with the wind rushing against their faces. But as any medical expert or bike accident lawyer will tell you, there's one important aspect of bike riding that your kids should never, ever forget: the use of a helmet.
Bike Accidents Happen, but Helmets Save Lives
Here are some humbling bicycle accident facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 677 bicyclists were killed in motor vehicle collisions in 2011, and 9 percent of those victims were under the age of 15. Thousands more kids are seriously injured in bicycle accidents every year, and many of these injuries can easily be prevented with the use of a helmet. Data shows time and time again that helmets save lives, but many kids are still riding without this vital piece of protection.
Just this week, there was a case in Cape Coral, Florida, involving a boy riding his bicycle in the late afternoon. This young boy was hit by a motor vehicle and had to be rushed to a Tampa hospital for treatment. Doctors found that he had multiple skull fractures, and the current state of his condition is not known. Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing a helmet at the time of his accident. A helmet could have potentially prevented those serious fractures.
Bicycle Helmets are for Everyone, Not Just Kids
Some states require all bicycle riders to wear a helmet. Other states require helmet use for riders under a certain age. Still some states have no helmet requirement at all. But ultimately, it's not about the law. It's about your safety, and the safety of your children. You shouldn't wear a helmet to keep the authorities happy; you should wear a helmet because you care about your own well-being. Teach your children the importance of helmet safety at a very young age, and set the example by wearing a helmet yourself. It just may save your life.
