Anne Arundel Bicycle Helmet Laws

Riding a bike is a fun and pleasant activity, that can quickly turn dangerous if you do not take the proper precautions, like wearing a helmet. Not only is not wearing a helmet dangerous, it is also illegal. In the state of Maryland, all bicyclists and motorcyclists must wear helmets or face the legal consequences. If you want to know more about Anne Arundel helmet laws, speak with a qualified bike accident attorney that could answer your questions and build your personal injury campaign.

Helmet Laws

Anne Arundel helmet laws require all individuals to wear helmets while riding their bikes. There are not any circumstances where a person cannot wear a helmet, except perhaps if they are on private property. Motorcyclists are also required to wear helmets as well. The legal ramifications of not wearing a helmet, are that a person could be issued a citation, like a criminal citation, and a fine.

How Can Wearing a Helmet Help Cyclists

Cyclists are at significant risk when riding bikes. The structure of a bicycle exposes people to harm. It has been statistically shown that wearing a helmet, whether an individual is either a bicyclist or a motorcyclist, can diffuse serious brain injuries. If an individual follows Anne Arundel helmet laws, their injuries will not be as severe.

Contributory Negligence

Contributory negligence in Anne Arundel County is a state common law defense to negligence. Basically, if a person was in anyway responsible for the injury that they sustained as a result of a car accident or the injuries sustained in a slip and fall, they are barred 100% from getting any recovery, meaning any money. It is a very strict standard. For instance, if a cyclist runs a red light and a car hits them, the car is not liable for the cyclist’s injuries. The cyclist is contributorily negligent as a matter of law and they will not recover for their injuries.

How Contributory Negligence Impacts Bike Crash Cases

In Maryland, a Defendant cannot use the fact of not wearing a helmet as a mitigating factor for the damages or as a contributory negligence argument. A person cannot bring up the fact that someone was not wearing a helmet and if they had been, then they would not be as seriously injured. Essentially, a person cannot put that into evidence. Other states allow that, meaning a person can be found negligent for not wearing a helmet because they contributed to the seriousness of the injuries, but Maryland is not one of those states.

Value of an Anne Arundel Bike Accident Attorney

Although Anne Arundel helmet laws are quite serious, not following them should not result in you being found negligent in your bike accident case. A capable bike accident lawyer could work diligently to protect your rights and fight for a positive outcome for you. If you have been injured in a bike crash, speak with a skilled bike accident attorney that could help you.

Anne Arundel Bicycle Accident Lawyer