New Study Shows Bike Helmets Save Kids’ Lives in Bicycle Accidents
Bicycle accident attorneys have always encouraged parents to insist that their children wear helmets when riding their bikes to protect them when they wipe out or are struck by motorized vehicles. A recent study conducted by the Journal of Pediatrics clearly shows how important helmets are in saving kids lives. The objective of the study was to determine the correlation between bicycle helmet laws and bicycle accident-related deaths sustained by children struck by cars. Florida has a bike helmet law on the books, but parents don’t always enforce it with their kids.
The Journal looked at bicycle accident data from 1999 to 2010 involving children aged 0 to 16 years, paying close attention to fatality rates in states with bike helmet laws and comparing them to rates in states without them. They also weighed several other factors, including blood-alcohol concentrations in drivers involved in bike accidents, elderly driver licensure laws, household income and others.
After crunching the numbers and evaluating the results, they found that the fatality rate for kids who were wearing helmets when struck by cars in states with mandatory helmet laws was 20 percent lower than in states without these laws. In short, bike helmets save the lives of children, and states with bike helmet laws (like Florida) encourage parents to overlook kids’ complaints about this bulky but essential life-saving equipment.
Mr. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury lawyers recommend that parents invest in bike helmets and other safety equipment for their kids and ride with them as often as possible. Biking with kids helps teach them the rules of the road and also helps them develop crucially important situational awareness when crossing intersections, riding along roadways, using designated bike lanes, etc. Indeed, spending time to help children understand and utilize good bike safety practices may be the best investment in their protection that a parent or guardian can make! So, get out there, bike with your kids and enjoy Central Florida’s natural beauty. Just remember to set a good example by buying and wearing a bike helmet as well.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.