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Motorcycle riders must follow the same rules of the road that dictate the proper actions for all motorists. Yet those same riders also have to satisfy some additional requirements, which can motivate them to voice specific concerns.

Some of them have asked this question: Why must I wear a helmet?

On the road, the presence of motorcyclists that are wearing helmets helps to protect the safety of both motorists and other motorcycle riders. The helmet works to make each rider more visible to motorists. As a result, the helmet law manages to keep insurance costs low.

A few motorcycle riders have asked this question: What features should I have on my motorcycle helmet, in order to meet the state’s standards?

Any motorcyclists that happen to be shopping for a helmet should look for one that carries the label of the Department of Transportation. That 3-letter label is this: DOT. All helmets that bear that particular label have met the standards that were established by the helmet-focused law.

At least one injured rider has asked this question: Can a motorcycle rider recover any damages, if he or she was not wearing a helmet at the time of the injury-causing accident?

The recovery of some money might be possible, if someone else caused the accident. However, if the accidents that have taken place in any of the states that have chosen to adhere to the principle of contributory negligence, then the injured rider would not have the right to claim any damages.

The mere act of riding around without a one of the properly-labeled helmets would qualify as negligent behavior, because it could contribute to the creation of any accident-linked injuries. In states that followed the principle of contributory negligence, it would not matter whether or not the rider’s actions were less careless than those of the motorist.

Of course, in states that followed the principle of comparative negligence, the situation might be different. If the motorcycle rider had not contributed to 50% or more of the factors that caused the accident, that same rider could still receive at least some money. The size of the rider’s compensation would reflect his or her ability to strive towards mitigating the effect of any sustained injury.

When a motorcyclist is wounded in a car collision, it’s usual for the driver to claim that the he/she is partially to blame for the accident. The personal injury lawyer in St John’s determines the significance of a motorcyclist’s shared fault for the underlying collision in the jurisdiction where the personal injury case is filed.

If the action is filed in a comparative negligence state, any compensation awarded at trial will almost certainly be reduced by the amount of the motorcyclist’s share of fault.