April is Check Your Helmet month

Motorcycle Safety: April is Check Your Helmet month

Motocycle safety often starts with the most important piece of gear: your helmet. As motorcycle fatalities in Florida rise, it's never been more important to protect your head — and your life — by wearing a helmet every time you ride.

In order to make sure your helmet is capable of protecting you in the event of a motorcycle accident, you should check your helmet for imperfections. This April, check your helmet to ensure your safety.

Check Your Helmet: Safety Tips

• Replace your helmet every 3-5 years. Wear and tear, as well as exposure to UV rays, can break down important components of your helmet, lessening it's protective qualities.
• Replace your helmet if there is indication of damage or if you have been in an accident. Even dropping your helmet onto a hard surface could warrant a replacement.
• Check how well your helmet fits. A poor fitting helmet offers little protection in a motorcycle accident. While on, a helmet shouldn't be able to slide forward or sideways.
• Extreme heat can damage the materials from which your helmet was made. If your helmet has been sitting in a storage unit, attic or garage for an extended period of time, it may need to be replaced.

If you've been in even one accident, it's time to replace your motorcycle helmet. Michael Brehne, a motorcycle enthusiast and motorcycle attorney at the Law Offices of Michael B. Brehne, P.A. in Altamonte Springs, encourages all Florida bikers to wear a helmet every time they ride. Stay safe and enjoy the ride!