Riding a bicycle has become an important mode of transportation for New Yorkers, especially with the launch of the Citi Bike Share Program. However, in order to safely ride to work or get to any other destination, as a New York City bicycle rider you should follow some necessary safety precautions, of which the most important is wearing a helmet.
New York Helmet Law
Although New York City strongly encourages wearing helmets, it only requires them for riders under age 14 and professional delivery people. This law is uniform for about half of the states nationwide, with most requiring riders under 18 to wear helmets.
Requiring helmets for all bicyclists has long been an emotionally charged issue in New York, especially with the introduction of the Citi Bike Share Program. While many argue that making helmets mandatory would discourage New Yorkers from riding, others contend that safety should be priority. This is especially true with the influx of New York City bicycle riders due to the new program.
Statistics Don’t Lie
According to the New York Department of Health, each year 54 individuals are killed in bicycle accidents and 2,000 more are hospitalized with serious injuries. Approximately 38 percent of these injuries involve traumatic brain injuries. In fact, head injuries are the leading cause of death and permanent disability in bicycle crashes.
Wearing a helmet can prevent or reduce the extent of these types of serious bicycle related injuries. If you are wearing a helmet when your head hits the ground in a bicycle accident, a helmet will absorb the shock of the impact and prevent or reduce the severity of the crash between the brain and the skull. And this can mean the difference between life and death in many cases.
So, although New York law does not mandate adults to wear helmets, riders should make it a personal agenda to do so in an effort to save their own life.
Injured on a Bike? Call Us!
Although riding a bicycle can be both advantages on the busy streets of New York and a fun experience, there is always the danger of a serious accident. If you are involved in an accident and suffer injuries, we can help you get the just compensation that you deserve.
For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our New York City bicycle accident injury attorney[s], call Gersowitz, Libo & Korek, P.C. at (212) 584-2494.