As an avid bike rider, it’s important to understand your state’s helmet laws. In Georgia, only certain people are required to wear a helmet while bicycling. However, that doesn’t mean everyone else shouldn’t.
In Georgia, only persons under the age of 16 have to wear a helmet. Anyone older is not required to wear such protective gear under Georgia law. Helmets provide potentially life-saving protection to bicyclists and protect them from serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries. Not to mention, failure to wear a helmet during an accident might affect your future Georgia compensation claim against a negligent driver. That is why it’s important to hire an experienced attorney who can help you recover the compensatory damages you deserve, whether or not you were wearing a bike helmet at the time of your accident.
Our lawyers are here to help bike accident victims throughout Georgia get the justice they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the Georgia personal injury attorneys at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
Do You Have to Wear a Bike Helmet in Georgia?
While wearing a helmet is a good idea for bikers of all ages in Georgia, only certain people are required to wear a bike helmet. Currently, only minors under the age of 16 have to wear a helmet.
According to Ga. Code Ann. § 40-6-296(d), all people under the age of 16 must wear a helmet that either meets or exceeds the standards of the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation. These organizations set impact and safety standards for bicycle helmets that Georgia recognizes. Wearing a helmet is necessary when riding on a highway, bike path, bike lane, or sidewalk in Georgia. In order to meet Georgia’s requirements for wearing a helmet, bikers must securely fasten the straps of a helmet to their heads.
Remember, only riders above 16 must wear a helmet in Georgia. All others are not required to wear such protective gear while riding a bike throughout the state. If you’re unsure whether or not certain bike helmet laws apply to you, ask an Atlanta personal injury attorney for clarification.
Should You Wear a Helmet While Biking in Georgia?
If you’re under the age of 16, you must wear a helmet in Georgia. But what if you’re older? While you don’t legally have to wear a helmet while riding a bike in Georgia if you are over the age of 16, it’s a good idea to do so.
Bike helmets, though only required for some Georgia residents, can provide necessary protection to all bikers. Bicycles offer little to no protection to bikers, meaning there is nothing to protect you in the event of an accident. Helmets, at the very least, can protect your head, which is a common site for bicycle accident injuries in Georgia.
Traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries are often avoidable when bikers choose to wear a helmet in Georgia. It’s wise to wear a bike helmet at all times, just in case of a collision or a fall. While you might not be required to wear a helmet while biking in Georgia because of your age, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. If you wear a helmet at all times, your risk of sustaining certain serious injuries, like traumatic brain injuries, can decrease.
If you’re under 16, you should always wear a bike helmet in Georgia, as that is the law. Although failure to abide by this Georgia statute won’t result in a fine or imprisonment, it can result in a serious head injury. Regardless of age, our Savannah personal injury attorneys urge bikers to err on the side of caution and always wear helmets.
Can Failure to Wear a Bike Helmet Impact Your Georgia Lawsuit?
In Georgia bicycle accident lawsuits, failure to wear a bike helmet at the time of an accident is not technically considered negligence on a victim’s behalf. That does not mean that not wearing a helmet won’t impact your access to compensatory damages in other ways.
According to Ga. Code Ann. § 40-6-296(d)(5), failure to wear a helmet during a bicycle accident is not considered contributory negligence. In the eyes of the law, you won’t share fault for your injuries if you sustained a brain or head injury because you did not wear a helmet at the time of an accident, regardless of your age.
Upon hearing this, Georgia bike accident victims might think they have nothing to worry about. While failure to wear a helmet isn’t considered contributory negligence, it can still impact your case. For example, suppose you wish to settle your bike accident lawsuit out of court. During negotiations, a defendant may argue that their liability should be lower because you were not wearing a helmet at the time of an accident. Or, suppose your case goes to trial and is heard by a jury. Although jurors are instructed to base their decisions on existing law, emotion might impact a juror’s decision. So, while failure to wear a helmet does not constitute contributory negligence in a Georgia bike accident lawsuit, it can still impact your case in other ways.
Because of this, it is important for victims to hire a Warner Robins personal injury attorney. Your lawyer can anticipate a defendant’s arguments and illustrate how you did not contribute to your injuries, despite not wearing a helmet. Of course, if your injuries are located elsewhere on your body, whether or not you were wearing a helmet should not be of concern. Regardless, your attorney can gather evidence to prove a negligent party’s fault, leaving no room for doubt that they caused your injuries and should be financially liable for all damages.
Call Our Georgia Lawyers After Your Bike Accident
If you were recently injured in a bike accident in Georgia, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Valdosta personal injury attorneys at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
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