The Real Dangers Of Young Kids And Motorbikes And What We Can Do To Protect Them

A team of Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorneys tend to agree that some of the most horrific cases they have dealt with have been that of accidents involving children. In fact, some are as young as five years of age. You may or may not agree that it seems crazy that when a child is travelling in a motor vehicle they have to be placed in securely in a special car seat when astonishingly enough, in most states, there is no law governing a minimum age for which a child can ride a motorcycle as a passenger. Many children as young as six or seven are allowed to travel on a mode of transport that is five times more likely to be involved in an accident.

So what can we do to protect out children?

Firstly if you do decide to let your child ride pillion, then it is imperative that they are wearing the right safety gear and that includes a helmet. There are many stockists of children's motorcycle helmets and they range in age from around 4 through to 12 years. Apart from being smaller, children's helmets are also lighter in weight so as to prevent any undue stress on the neck of the child. They can be open or full face models and it is best to let your child try a few on and from there it is possible to gauge which model is more comfortable and the best fit. They should also wear other protective gear such as heavy-duty jackets and pants, boots and gloves.

A motorcycle accident lawyer Los Angeles states that although there are no laws governing the age of children riding passenger on a motorbike there are some criteria that should be followed these are as follows:

Purposefully designed passenger seat

All motorcycles that carry passengers including children must have a seat that has been specially designed for the purpose of carrying a passenger.

Have pillion footpegs

The motorbike in question must have footpegs for the passengers' comfort and safety and most importantly, the child must be able to reach the footpegs when sitting on the seat

Striding the seat

The child passenger should be of the age and height where they can comfortably sit astride of the seat. It is against the law to ride side saddle so it is important.

Accident and injury risks

It goes without saying that a child is at far greater risk from serious injury than an adult would be, particularly from serious head trauma such as traumatic brain injury. At this stage a child is not fully developed and therefore open themselves up to severe risk should an accident occur. Often when a motorcycle rider has to break quickly at speed, inertial forces take over and the child is more than likely to bang their head on the driver. On top of this, they can also suffer severe whiplash to the neck when the head is whipped backwards. Other injury concerns include broken bones and spinal injury that could lead to paralysis and facial injuries.

If your child has been involved in a motorcycle accident then it is advisable that you contact an experienced team of motorcycle accident attorneys who are well versed in dealing with similar situations. There are many instances whereby children have been taken out on a bike by friends and even relatives against the wishes of their parents. When this happens and an accident occurs, be rest assured that there is some form of recourse that you can take. By contacting a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer they have the skills to be able to thoroughly investigate the accident to ascertain where the fault lies.

It is fair to say that not all Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorneys are 'anti' motorcyclists. In fact many ride themselves, so they are fully aware of the dangers and the safety precautions needed. They understand that in many instances motorcyclists get given a hard time from other road users and are more than willing to fight their corner should the need arise. As motorbikes become more light and powerful, the need to protect our kids becomes paramount. So anyone who is thinking of transporting his or her child on a motorcycle should always think safety first.