Every motorcyclist, especially in California, must wear a protective gear when riding out on the road. Not only is this required by the traffic laws of the state, but wearing it decreases the rider’s chance of getting seriously injured if ever a collision happens. Because a motorcycle does not entirely protect the rider from the impact of a crash, it is imperative that he or she must wear something that would protect delicate body parts, particularly the head.
As
it is, the motorcycle helmet is the most essential safety gear that every
motorcyclist must wear at all times when riding the two-wheeled motor vehicle.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety (IIHS), helmets prevent motorcycle accident deaths 37 percent of the
time. Also, the safety gear is 67 percent effective in preventing brain
injuries.
Because
of how effective these protective gears are, a lot of states have adopted laws
that make wearing helmets mandatory for persons who ride motorcycles. A total
of 47 states plus the District of Columbia have a mandatory helmet law for
motorcyclists. Nineteen of them have the universal helmet law, which means that
helmets must be worn by both riders and passengers.
One
of the states with the universal helmet law is California, which adopted the
said measure in 1992. Upon implementation of the law, helmet use rose from 50
percent to 99 percent. It was proven effective once the law was laid down in
the state; in fact, the number of motorcycle accident deaths decreased by 37
percent.
