Virginia Bicycle Helmet Laws

Virginia does not require bicycle helmets for adults who ride bicycles, however, bicycle helmets are required for those riding under the age of 15 in certain localities. The Virginia Department of Transportation has more information about helmet laws, including localities that require them.

It is important for an individual to understand the specific bicycle helmet laws that are in place in Virginia. Any individual who has been affected by a helmet law in Virginia should be sure to contact a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss their case.

Legal Ramifications

There are a variety of different legal reasons why someone would care to wear a bicycle helmet and a variety of ramifications if someone chooses not to wear a helmet.

The most common is that if someone does not wear a helmet, they may be charged with a local ordinance violation.  In addition, if they are injured as a result of an accident, their failure to wear a helmet may be viewed as a defense to their injury.

For example, it is arguable that someone assumed risk of their injury by failing to wear a helmet. They may be deemed to have contributed to some of the injuries they suffered by failing to wear a helmet or it may be a mitigating circumstance for the defense and the nature of the injury. These clauses are stated in various Virginia bicycle helmet laws.

Protecting an Individual

Today’s bicycle helmets are an important technological advance in modern safety. In prior generations, the helmets were clunky and cumbersome and sometimes did more harm than good. Bicycle helmets are lightweight and made of high-end materials, and can provide critical protection against very serious injuries.

They can protect against head fractures, facial breaks, abrasions, and have some support against concussions. There is a lot more information available about concussions then what was known even 10 or 15 years ago.

When someone falls from a bicycle and lands in an awkward angle, a concussion can occur. Bicycle helmets are very crucial in trying to avoid or decrease a person’s exposure if they are involved in a bicycle accident, which is why the bicycle helmet laws in Virginia were established.

Potential Legal Protections

Wearing a helmet protects a person physically, and can also have some legal protections. The legal protections that a bicycle helmet can have are that the bicycle helmet can actually protect the person by making sure that the at-fault party does not have additional legal defenses.

This means that they cannot argue that the person assumed the risk for their own injuries by not wearing a helmet. So, it does present itself in several ways that can be helpful to a person from the legal perspective as well as the personal safety perspective. These protections are outlined in the established bicycle helmet laws of Virginia.