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New Study Finds Motorcycle Helmets Reduce Risk of Neck Injuries

Any accident on a road and highway can result in serious injuries that take months or years to heal. However, motorcycle accidents are especially dangerous, and even those at relatively low speeds can cause serious injuries or death. It has long been accepted that wearing a helmet can protect you from a head injury if you’re on your motorcycle, but some have thought that a helmet might increase the risk of a neck injury in an accident. New data from a University of Wisconsin study has found this concern over neck injuries to be unfounded, and motorcycle helmets can reduce the likelihood of a neck injury in an accident.

If you or a loved one have been in a motorcycle accident, you will need an experienced attorney to help you seek damages from the negligent party. To speak with a motorcycle accident lawyer, call Studinski Law, LLC today at (715) 343-2850.

Study’s Results Are a Strong Argument for Motorcycle Helmets

Published in March of 2018, the University of Wisconsin study regarding neurological accidents analyzed the injuries of 1,061 victims of motorcycle accidents. It is known that helmets can reduce the risk of a head injury by 69 percent, and that they reduce the likelihood of death by 37 percent. However, some thought that helmets apply twisting pressure to the spine in an accident and therefore increase neck injuries. This has been shown to not be the case, and the study’s results show the vastly different rates of neck injuries for two types of people in motorcycle accidents:

• Those without helmets – 15.5 percent of these accident victims had neck injuries, and 10.8 percent had spinal fractures.
• Those with helmets – 7.4 percent of these accident victims had neck injuries, and 4.6 percent had spinal fractures.

The results clearly show that neck injuries can be reduced by the use of motorcycle helmets. Conventional wisdom formerly considered helmets to be a cause of some neck injuries in bike accidents. It’s possible that newer helmets do not cause the injuries that previous ones did due to the newer ones having improved designs made with lighter materials.

Wisconsin Helmet Laws and Common Injuries

Wisconsin has a partial motorcycle helmet law that requires helmets for riders who are under the age of 18 years. Unlike 19 other states, Wisconsin law does not require adults to wear helmets. This makes many bike accidents significantly deadlier. The state has averaged over 2,000 motorcycle crashes and 80 deaths in recent years.

Neck injuries are very common in motorcycle accidents. You can suffer complete or partial spinal cord damage as well as breaks or fractures in spinal disks. Some of the most common motorcycle injuries we see include:

• Brain injury and skull fractures
• Significant skin damage, also known as road rash
• Broken and fractured bones
• Nerve damage
• Damage to eyes
• Organ damage due to hard collisions
• Death

Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident? Studinski Law, LLC Can Help

A motorcycle accident can turn your life upside down, and you may never be able to fully recover. The Wisconsin personal injury lawyers from Studinski Law, LLC have helped many families in this position, and we know how difficult it can be for you. If you are to recover compensation from the negligent party, we will build a strong case, negotiate with the insurance company, and go to court if an acceptable settlement is not offered. We understand how to gather the required evidence to win your damages to help you with:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Lost future earning potential
• Property damage costs
• Funeral costs in the event of a motorcycle death

Contact us today at (715) 343-2850 to speak with an experienced lawyer about your case.