ABC KGO News 7 in Sacramento is reporting about a new law that requires young skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets that prevent brain injuries.  The new law is a preventative measure for next winter in response to about 7,000 brain injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a helmet.

California Senate approves law requiring helmets for skiers and snowboarders under 18.

Teenage skiers and snowboarders just got help preventing brain injuries as the California Senate approved a new law that requires riders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.  As a joke, the Senator whose vote passed the law — an avid skier — was given a helmet.

Recent studies done by The California Psychological Association has done show wearing a helmet can reduce the chance of a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion or hematoma by 30 percent.  Even though the physical benefits of wearing a helmet are obvious, some young snowboarders commented on different drawbacks.

“A lot of what snowboarding, what makes it great is you’re so free and you can express your creativity a lot,” a snowboarder told KGO 7 News.  “If you’re forced to wear a helmet, it takes away a lot of the riders’ creativity.”

When talk show host Dr. Phil supported a helmet law to prevent brain injuries in skiers and snowboarders, the issue got an added boost.  Even so, the proposal barely got enough votes to pass.  Some senators believe the law goes to far and has labeled it as a “nanny” law that tell people how to run their lives.

That may be so but a fatal brain injury suffered by Natasha Richardson and recent brain hemorrhages suffered by Bret Michaels and Gary Coleman have opened eyes that anyone can suffer a brain injury at any time.  If you can prevent one, you should.

Getting a bump on the noggin after catching some wicked air can bring on a headache.  Our brain injury attorneys know the most common mistake occurs when people get proper diagnosis for a head injury.  A headache could be the start of a more complex brain injury, such as a concussion or hemorrhage, so always double check.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego brain injury attorney or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.