Posted in Motorcycle Safety,Personal Injury on April 9, 2014
Everyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle knows that they can be exhilarating, but they can also be very dangerous. This is why it is always a good idea to wear a helmet, lest you become one of the unlucky few to get into a serious motorcycle accident.
Currently, Tennessee law requires that all motorcyclists wear a helmet while operating their motorcycle. However, recently, some state legislators proposed a bill to change the law, requiring only motorcyclists under the age of 25 to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. All others aged 25 and older would have had the option to wear the helmet if they chose to do so. That bill failed on a vote of 6-5 in the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, March 25.
Pros and Con: People on Both Sides
As with any political or safety issue, people ended up coming down on both sides of the proposed law. Those in favor of the law said that it would have increased personal freedom. Proponents claimed that the government should not be concerned with whether people wear helmets, just like the government should not be concerned with people who drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.
Those against the law claimed that there were two big drawbacks to the law. First, fatal motorcycle accidents will go up, they claimed. Those against the bill pointed to Kentucky, a state that had a mandatory helmet law until the late 1990s. Once the helmet law was repealed, fatal motorcycle accidents increased by 50%.
Another drawback of the bill, some argue, is that it would have increased the cost of state-sponsored medical care. In the case of many accidents, the victims do not have enough insurance to cover all the medical bills. This results in a situation where taxpayers end up footing the bill for the accident victim. So, the argument goes, if there are more serious motorcycle accidents, there will be more people who cannot afford to pay their medical bills, meaning the bills will then become the state’s responsibility.
Whichever side you fell on, the bottom line is that wearing a motorcycle helmet is one of the best ways to prevent serious injury while out there on the road. No matter how experienced a rider you may be, some accidents cannot be avoided, and when they do occur it is best to have a helmet on.
Have You Been Involved in a Tennessee Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has been involved in a Tennessee motorcycle accident you should speak to an experienced Tennessee personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible for a substantial monetary award designed to compensate you for you medical bills, lost wages, as well as for any pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of the accident. At Matt Hardin Law, we have the experience and dedication needed to represent any Tennessee accident victim. To learn more, please call 615-200-1111 today, or contact us online.
See Related Blog Posts:
Case Dismissed Against a Tennessee City for Pothole-Related Injury, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published March 4, 2014.
Blountville Woman Pleads Guilty to Numerous Charges Relating to 2012 Death of Former Highway Patrol Officer, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published March 25, 2014.
