Ghost helmets convey special meaning to motorcycle demographic
Ghost helmets convey special meaning to motorcycle demographic
We’re guessing at Simien & Simien that many Louisiana readers of our personal injury legal blogs don’t know what a so-called “ghost” helmet is, much less its poignant significance for a specific group of people.
Some likely do, though, especially if they love riding motorcycles or know someone who does.
Bike enthusiasts comprise a large – indeed, vast – group, of course. Legions of Americans have an enduring love affair with motorcycles and the unrivaled riding experience they offer.
Tragically, an outsized number of them pay a heavy price for that love affair. For obvious reasons, motorcyclists are an especially vulnerable demographic when behind the wheel.
The ghost helmet spells implicit acknowledgment of that fact. Moreover, it is uniquely tied to Louisiana in a special and moving way.
As noted in a recent media piece, ghost helmets are the actual headgear worn by bikers that were killed in accidents. A woman from Baton Rouge seized upon the idea several years ago to clean such helmets, carefully engrave them and then present them to victims’ families and loved ones as memorials.
The idea caught on. A nonprofit was eventually established, with its Louisiana headquarters now being augmented by additional locations beyond Baton Rouge.
The writer of the above-cited article is a South Carolina motorcyclist whose riding chapter was just presented with a ghost helmet created for a club member who died in an accident involving the negligence of another motorist. The writer laments that drivers in passenger vehicles often simply “look for large objects like trucks and cars,” failing to see motorcyclists.
That is tragic, of course, but it doesn’t lessen accountability for careless motorists whose negligence directly contributes to a rider’s harm. We note on our firm’s website that, while “typically drivers are not looking out” for motorcyclists, they nonetheless have a duty to drive carefully and not recklessly imperil them.
Bikers have the same roadway rights as do all other motorized vehicles. Moreover, they can pursue meaningful recoveries marked by maximum compensation when they are injured because of another party’s negligence.
An empathetic and results-driven legal team can provide further information.
