In metropolitan areas like Atlanta, people use bicycles to get around. While some ride bicycles for leisure or sport, others use them to commute to work and get around the city faster and more economically. While riding a bicycle has many benefits, it can also be dangerous due to the moving motor vehicles that are sharing the road with cyclists.
While adults in Georgia do not have to wear a bicycle helmet, as it is optional, we are going to take a look at the reality of riding without a helmet. Numbers say it all. So, what do the statistics reveal?
- While football is a concern of sports-related head injuries, statistics show that far more traumatic brain injuries occur in cycling
- Cycling accounted for 86,000 of the 447,000 sport-related head injuries in 2009—almost double that of football (47,000 head injuries) and baseball (38,394 head injuries)
- Cycling also accounted for the most sports-related head injuries in children under 14 (40,272 head injuries)
- Cycling is the top sport for head injuries in America
Cycling is not only a sport, but a means to get from one place to another. Sadly, this form of transportation puts people at high risk for brain injuries. This is because drivers are reckless, negligent, and distracted—putting bicyclists at risk for colliding with motor vehicles. When cyclists ride without helmets, they put themselves at high risk for suffering a serious brain injury.
In 2009, 90 percent of people killed in bicycle accidents in this nation were not wearing bicycle helmets. And most fatal bike accidents involved a head injury. This is why cyclists should never ride without a helmet.
If you have suffered a brain injury in Georgia on a bicycle, even if you were not wearing a helmet, you may have rights to financial compensation. Find out more about your rights from a skilled Peachtree City brain injury attorney at Shane Smith Law today at (980) 246-2656 for a free case consultation.