Study finds not all kids are wearing bike helmets in US
A recent study revealed that many children are not wearing helmets when on bicycles.
According to researchers at Duke University Medical Center, certain groups of children are more or less likely to wear a helmet when on a bike in the U.S. Sadly, when kids don’t wear a bicycle helmet, the consequences can be serious and life changing.
The researchers concluded that children from less affluent families and minorities were less likely to wear a helmet when biking in the U.S. In all, the researchers examined medical records from over 7,670 bicycle accidents across the country to gather their data.
Of the records examined, the researchers found that only 22 percent of the bike riders were wearing helmets when the accident occurred. Of course, the helmet use statistic is understandably low, as the researchers were only looking at cases in which the children – aged 15 and below – required medical intervention thereafter.
Bike accidents are a serious issue in West Virginia and across the US
When a bicycle and a motor vehicle collide, the consequences for the bicyclist are typically very serious.
One way bicyclists can protect themselves when on the road is to always wear a helmet. In West Virginia, all children aged 15 and under are required to wear a helmet when on a bicycle. Nevertheless, it is a good idea for all bicyclists to wear a helmet when on the road.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those between the ages of 15 to 24 years and those aged 45 and above have the highest death rate when it comes to bicycle accidents in the U.S. Bicycle helmets can help protect individuals from a deadly accident or from suffering a serious head injury in a collision.
In all, the number of people killed in bicycle accidents has been on the rise in recent years. In 2012, 726 bicyclists died in collisions with motor vehicles in the United States – a 6 percent increase from the year prior.
In addition, approximately 49,000 bicyclists suffered injuries when they were involved in accidents with motor vehicles in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Contact a personal injury attorney after a bike accident
When a bicyclist is involved in a collision with a motor vehicle, it is often due to negligence on the part of the motorist. In such cases, the person responsible for the crash should be held accountable for the harm done.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a bicycle accident, you need to talk to a skilled personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC will work diligently on your behalf so you can focus on healing from your injuries.
Keywords: bicycle, accident, West Virginia