A bicycle crash can cause painful injuries and disrupt your ability to work. Medical expenses may add further pressure, especially when you are unsure whether helmet use could affect your legal rights. Michigan bicycle helmet laws do not generally require riders of traditional bicycles to wear a helmet. Even so, an insurance company may still raise the issue when evaluating a claim.
Understanding how helmet use relates to fault could help you make informed decisions after a collision. A bicycle accident attorney at Thurswell Law could review what happened, explain your rights, and determine whether you may have a valid claim. Since 1968, we have represented injured people in personal injury matters, including bicycle accident cases.
Are Bicycle Riders Required to Wear Helmets?
Children and adults riding standard bicycles do not currently have to wear helmets. The Michigan Vehicle Code regulates bicycle operation and equipment but does not establish a broad helmet mandate for pedal-bike riders. Therefore, riding a traditional bicycle without a helmet generally does not violate Michigan law.
Under Michigan Compiled Laws § 257.662a, riders younger than 18 who operate or ride as passengers on class three electric bicycles must wear properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmets that meet federal safety standards. A rider must also be at least 14 years old to operate a class three electric bicycle. Parks, private facilities, and organized events may still require helmet use. Riders and parents should check posted policies before using a route.
How Helmet Use May Affect a Bicycle Injury Claim
Even when no helmet law in Michigan applies, an insurer may argue that a cyclist’s failure to wear one worsened a head injury. That point alone does not prevent you from pursuing a claim. The party raising the issue would generally need evidence connecting the lack of a helmet to the type or extent of the injury.
A cyclist’s bicycle helmet use may become part of the comparative-fault analysis under MCL § 600.2959. A court reduces damages by the injured person’s percentage of fault. An injured bicyclist may therefore face an attempt by insurers to reduce compensation based on:
- Helmet use
- Riding conduct
- Visibility
- Signal use
- Compliance with traffic rules
Our attorneys could examine medical records, crash evidence, witness statements, and insurance arguments. We could also assess whether driver negligence, such as distraction, speeding, an unsafe turn, or failure to yield, caused the collision.
Evidence That Can Strengthen a Bike Crash Case
Gathering evidence soon after the crash can strengthen a claim. Photographs may document the following:
- Scene of the accident
- Bicycle damage
- Road hazards
- Traffic controls
- Visible injuries
Police reports, video footage, and witness statements may help confirm what happened, while medical records may connect the collision to your injuries.
Evidence about helmet use may become important when an insurer cites Michigan bicycle helmet requirements when disputing the cause or extent of a head injury. Keep the helmet and bicycle in their post-crash condition because the damage may show the force or direction of impact. Do not repair or discard these items before our attorneys review them.
Thurswell Law could handle insurer communications, identify available coverage, document your losses, and pursue compensation that reflects the available evidence. You do not pay an attorney fee if we do not win your case.
Contact Our Attorneys About Bicycle Helmet Laws in Michigan
The effect of Michigan bicycle helmet laws on an injury claim may depend on the rider’s age, the type of bicycle involved, the rider’s injuries, and the available evidence. A helmet issue should not distract from the central questions of who caused the collision and what losses followed.
Call Thurswell Law for a free consultation. Our attorneys could review the circumstances, explain your rights and possible next steps, and determine whether you may have a case.
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