You may remember, in 2009 the Missouri Legislature passed a bill that would change the motorcycle helmet law, allowing motorcycle riders over 21 years old to ride without a helmet. What happened? It was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon.  As it is, the old Missouri motorcycle helmet law stands unfazed. But, do you know what that law says?

First, it requires anyone riding a motorcycle to wear “protective headgear” when riding anywhere in the state. If you don’t wear a helmet you can get fined $25. You can also get points on your license. That might not sound like much, but the real risk of not wearing a motorcycle helmet in Missouri isn’t getting a ticket: it’s the significantly higher chance of serious injury or death.

The motorcycle crash statistics are clear as day. Helmets increase the chance of surviving a motorcycle accident by 37%. People who wear a helmet are three times less likely to have traumatic brain injury. Wearing a helmet reduces the cost of medical bills, on average, by 8%. It’s hard to argue against facts like these: motorcycle helmets save lives.

I personally believe you need to take risks in life, but you should only take risks worth taking. The thing is, whenever you get on a motorcycle you know that you have an increased risk of being hurt in an accident. That means that we need to take account of that risk by wearing a helmet.

The tragedy is how so many horrible injuries and deaths from motorcycle accidents happen to riders following all of the laws to the letter when some other driver is reckless. In that case, wearing a helmet will help, but you can still get hurt—and you may still require help to pay expensive medical bills. A Missouri motorcycle injury attorney can fight the insurance company to help get you what you need.

If you’re riding out there, you know about managing risk. My Missouri accident guide is just as necessary as a helmet if you get into a motorcycle accident because it tells you how you can protect yourself from the insurance company’s tricks. I explain in detail what you have to know as a motorcycle rider so you can get all the medical help you may need for a complete recovery. Request a free copy of “I Survived! The Crash Victim’s Guide to the Aftermath” to learn what the insurance industry doesn’t tell you about motorcycle accidents.