Kickflip.  Ollie.  Aerial.

You see teenagers performing these tricks every day in area skate parks across the country.  Teenagers have been engaging in this hobby since the 1970s when the Z-Boys in Santa Monica and Venice, California made it popular.  Nowadays, teenagers are performing more complicated tricks on their boards, and some of them take it upon themselves to not be as pre-cautious as they should be when it comes to preventing brain injuries by wearing their helmets.

Skateboarders at the Hollandia Skate Park in San Marcos have seen their park get closed five times by police because of helmet law violations by peers. (SOURCE: San Diego Union Tribune)

Our brain injury attorneys know that sometimes teenagers believe they are invincible.  They feel they can do anything without any worry about getting hurt.  Every day, teenagers have to find out the hard way they are mere mortals and not the gods they think they are.

You should always wear your helmet when you’re skateboarding or riding a bicycle/motorcycle because the possibility of falling on your head is higher than you would think.  It only takes one miscalculation to cause you to hit your head causing a brain injury that can lead to problems later on (i.e. concussion).

Despite how protective helmets are, teenagers have their issues with one of the few preventative measures they can take:

“I don’t like helmets.  They make my head really hot,” said one teen, 14, of Fallbrook.

Another teen, 14, says, “It’s just the cool factor.  People are like, ‘Why do you wear a helmet? It’s unacceptable.'”

No matter what they’re reasons are, local law enforcement agencies have their own opinions.  San Marcos police have closed the Hollandia Skate Park five times in six months because of teenagers who violate helmet laws.  In 2009, Carlsbad police issued almost 300 citations for helmet and safety pad violations.  San Diego doesn’t supervise its skate parks, but enforcement is handled by police who go whenever there is a call about a violation.

Our brain injury lawyers in San Diego tend to side towards the way that will prevent injuries.  No matter how cool or uncool it may be, wearing a helmet can save your life.  One serious brain injury in your teenage years can cause a lifetime of constant brain problems later.  Sometimes, it’s better to be healthy than be a part of the in crowd.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced San Diego brain injury attorney and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No fee if no recovery.

YOUR TAKE

How should local law enforcement agencies handle the growing problem of teenagers and not wearing helmets for safety?