Bicycle Helmet Laws in Alpharetta
If you enjoy riding your bicycle throughout the streets of Alpharetta, you must always be aware of the dangers you could face as a vulnerable road user. Even a seemingly minor accident could leave you facing serious injuries.
Some of the most significant consequences can occur if you suffer head trauma. Although these will typically not be as severe as motorcycle accident injuries, they can still cause significant harm. Traumatic brain injuries can mean spending time in the hospital, missing work, and a variety of long-term health problems.
To help prevent head injuries, bike helmet laws exist. Such laws vary widely throughout the country, however, so you may not know if there are local helmet laws that apply to you in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Knowing whether there are laws in your area that impact helmet use is essential for your well-being as well as for any potential claim you file if you’re in a bicycle accident. So, is it the law to wear a bike helmet in Georgia?
State law dictates whether you have to wear bicycle helmets in Alpharetta. Is it the law to wear a bike helmet every time you get on the road?
Federal Rules and Bicycle Helmet Safety Standards
Is wearing a bicycle helmet mandatory? In the United States, there is no universal law regarding helmet use. States are free to make this decision, and helmet laws by state vary significantly. Some choose to leave that up to each individual once they reach a certain age, and others make it mandatory for all riders to wear an approved bicycle helmet.
In the country, 22 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory bicycle helmet laws, most of which apply to people under 18 years of age.
North Carolina state law, for example, requires that anyone under 16 wear bicycle helmets, as does New Hampshire state law. New York state law impacts those under 14. South Dakota, on the other hand, does not require anyone to wear bicycle helmets, regardless of age.
There are local ordinances, however, that could put further bicycle safety laws in place. These local laws typically expand the number of people who are required to wear these safety features. It’s always important to have a clear idea of the exact regulations in place in your area before getting on a bicycle.
There are federal safety standards that manufacturers of helmets must meet to ensure maximum protection. These are set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Federal CPSC safety standards state that helmets must withstand a two-foot drop onto an 8.8 lb weight to make certain they can protect the wearer in high-impact crashes.
All helmets must allow for at least 105° of peripheral vision. The straps and buckles must remain intact, and they must not elongate more than 30 mm when force is applied to the helmet. This type of roll-off test ensures that the helmet stays on during an accident, no matter how severe it is.
Cycling helmet requirements include having a label stating that the item complies with CPSC safety standards. It must come with instructions that outline proper fit and care. Helmets meant for children under five must provide even more coverage to protect the fragile areas of their heads.
Helmets must be tested in different conditions, as well. That includes high and low temperatures, and a variety of humidity levels, including full water immersion.
The Snell Memorial Foundation standards are the accepted guidelines for racing with bicycles. These standards are higher than those CPSC requires.
State Bicycle Helmet Laws and Age Requirements in Alpharetta
Is it the law to wear a bike helmet in Alpharetta? Bicycle helmet laws in Alpharetta follow Georgia’s laws. This means that all bicycle riders and passengers must wear a helmet if they are under the age of 16.
This is the case on highways, lanes, sidewalks, and bicycle paths. Cyclists must have helmets that meet the high-impact standards set forth by the Snell Memorial Foundation, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), or CPSC.
Georgia bike helmet laws also require that the straps be fastened at all times when on the bicycle. Additionally, rental companies may not rent a bicycle to someone under 16 if they don’t have a helmet.
Why You Should Wear a Bicycle Helmet Even if Not Required
These state-wide laws are in place to address the dangers of sustaining a head or neck injury in an accident. Helmet regulations for cyclists also help with any potential legal actions you may take if you’re in an accident.
Preventing Serious Injuries
A helmet protects a person’s head from the most severe injuries. Every year, there are thousands of cyclists hospitalized as a result of head injuries. Deaths are more frequent in people who don’t wear helmets. There are fewer deaths among younger cyclists because of the requirements that most states have regarding those under 18 years of age.
The majority of the 80,000 cycling-related head injuries treated every year in emergency rooms throughout the country are brain injuries. The evidence is clear, however: wearing a helmet protects your brain from the most catastrophic injuries you can suffer.
Concussions are the most common traumatic brain injuries you can suffer, and even though they’re considered to be minor, they can leave you struggling for days or weeks with a variety of overwhelming symptoms. Concussions most commonly occur when your head hits a surface, causing the brain to shift inside your skull.
It’s possible for the brain to bounce, too, causing damage to two opposite areas of the organ. These injuries are particularly serious but can be more easily prevented with a helmet.
More severe brain injuries can result in permanent brain damage or death. Penetrating head injuries in particular can be catastrophic. Any object that pierces the skull and enters the brain can cause widespread damage.
Helmets can also protect you against suffering neck injuries. They may assist you in avoiding ligament damage, fractures, and even cervical spinal injuries. That’s because they reduce the chance of severe twisting or compressive forces transferring directly to the neck area.
Protecting Your Personal Injury Claim
Helmet promotion campaigns rightly focus on the physical risks you take if you don’t wear a helmet, but there are other dangers. If you’re in an accident that occurred because of another party’s misconduct, you may be entitled to begin a claim to recover your losses. You must show that the other party was responsible for your injuries, however. That is when the helmet can become an important factor.
If you were not wearing a helmet, even if you had the right to make that choice under GA helmet laws, you could still be seen as having contributed to your injuries. Although Georgia doesn’t follow strict contributory negligence, but instead applies modified comparative negligence laws, you can still end up not being able to recover losses.
If you’re found to be 50% or more at fault for your injuries, you will be barred from receiving compensation. The defendant’s attorneys can make that point if you sustained head trauma that could have been prevented had you been wearing a helmet. Although not wearing a helmet is not supposed to be used against you in civil actions, defendants still attempt this.
Even if you are able to recover losses, you might not obtain the maximum possible amount if you weren’t wearing a helmet. That’s because your winnings could be reduced by your percentage of fault. By wearing a helmet, you can avoid disputes over fault, which could speed up the entire process.
Penalties and Legal Consequences of Not Wearing a Helmet
Is it illegal not to wear a bike helmet in Georgia? Helmet laws for bikes are strict for those under 16. Parents or guardians cannot knowingly allow the child to ride the bike without an appropriate helmet. Minors don’t face consequences, but the parents or guardians do. They could face misdemeanor charges, which can involve fines and, in the most serious cases, jail time.
Obtaining Compensation After a Bicycle Accident
If you have been in a bicycle accident in Georgia, it’s important to consider your legal options. If the accident occurred because of another party’s misconduct, you may be entitled to begin a personal injury claim to recover your losses. With these claims, you can obtain compensation to address your medical bills, lost wages, and even your physical and emotional distress.
Often, people assume that these are simple legal procedures to go through. That is not the case, even in straightforward scenarios. If you were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and you sustained a head injury, you could face even more difficulties as you attempt to recover your losses.
To improve your chances of obtaining fair compensation for what you lost, you need assistance from experienced attorneys. At Bulldog Law Firm, we provide the dedicated and aggressive support you need. We bring years of experience to every case we take on and are ready to negotiate for the fairest possible settlement. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers.
