Motorbike Insurance

Motorcyclists who ride without a crash helmet - something that is actually legal in some American states - are seriously endangering their lives, according to a new report.

In parts of the US where it is not compulsory to wear a helmet, 16.5 per cent of bikers involved in crashes were hospitalised with diagnosed brain injuries, compared to only 11.5 per cent in states where it is a criminal act to ride without wearing a helmet.

The study carried out by researchers at West Virginia University forms a strong warning to riders in states such as Arkansas, where helmets are not mandatory, as well as to British riders who flout UK laws decreeing that all riders must wear helmets.

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Researcher Dr Jeffrey Coben told UPI: "Almost nine per cent of all US traffic deaths are attributed to motorcycle riding.

"In 2004 more than 4,000 people were killed in motorcycle accidents - an 89 per -cent increase since 1997 - and more than 76,000 were injured."

The report, published in the Accident Analysis and Prevention journal, also showed that riders who have accidents in states where it is legal for them not to wear protective headgear are 3.5 per cent more likely to die in hospital than those in states where it is illegal.

In spite of this, a number of American bikers' groups, such as ABATE and the Southern Bikers of Arkansas, strongly advocate that it should be the prerogative of the rider as to whether they don a helmet or not.

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