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Posted in Our Blog on September 11, 2015
Louisiana motorcycle enthusiasts should always wear a helmet. Indeed, it is the most important piece of safety equipment in a motorcyclist’s arsenal against injury in a crash. As such, motorcyclists should educate themselves on helmets and helmet laws in Louisiana.
First, you will want to know whether or not a particular helmet is approved for road use by motorcyclists in our state. In order to do this, make sure any helmet you buy has a U.S. Department of Transportation label on it.
Second, keep in mind that you absolutely must wear a helmet according to the law in our state. Numerous courts have deemed helmets important and necessary for motorcycle riders, and that the state has the power to enforce motorcycle helmet laws by punishing riders who fail to use them. Even if you are only riding your motorcycle recreationally on the weekends along back country roads, you still need to don a helmet.
Third, wearing a helmet will be important for a motorcyclist who gets injured in a motorcycle crash. Not only do helmet wearers have a higher chance of surviving a crash and suffering less severe injuries than non-helmet wearers, but if they were wearing a helmet in compliance with the law it can help them in their pursuit of personal injury damages. That is because those who suffer more severe injuries due to their failure to wear helmets could have the level of damages they can pursue in their personal injury claims subjected to reduction.
Source: FindLaw, “Motorcycle Accident FAQ,” accessed Sep. 11, 2015