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Wearing a helmet reduces fatalities by 85%. Tips on buying the right one

Seems like a no-brainer to wear a helmet each time you skateboard, bicycle, or inline skate, doesn't it? If that one statistic doesn't convince you to make this a habit, click here for this story from Bill Coats Law, a personal injury law firm in Bellingham, WA, with recent statistics and advice on buying a helmet. 

A helmet might not protect you from this if you're hit by a car

Though the technology and design improves more and more with each year, bicycle helmets can't always protect bicyclists from TBI. If you've hit your head in a bike crash, know the signs and symptoms of this all too common problem, from this post by bike accident attorney Bill Coats Law in Bellingham WA. 

Be careful when transporting fragile goods: wear a bicycle helmet

Did you know that some cities do not require bicyclists to wear helmets? There is no state law mandating their use, either. This is surprising, due to statistics showing that “helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent,” according to the Bicycle Safety Helmet Institute, a volunteer advocacy group. Go here to learn how helmets protect you, and why you should never get on your bike without one.

Want to prevent a TBI? Make sure to always wear this when you bicycle

It's no mystery. Wearing a bike  helmet when you bicycle, skateboard, inline skate, or ride a scooter greatly reduced your chance of getting a brain injury. For recent statistics on bicycle crashes and injuries, as well as tips on finding the right helmet, click here for this article from Bellingham lawyer Bill Coats, a bicycle and car crash attorney.

Tips for motorists on sharing the road with bicyclists

As the weather warms, more people take their bicycles on the road, for commuting to work, helping the environment, exercise, recreation, and to save on automobile expenses. As bicycling gains in popularity, also on the rise is the likelihood of a crash with a car, truck, or other vehicle – and, so often, these crashes result in serious injury or death to the cyclist involved. In sharing the road with bicyclists, motorists can do a few simple things to make everyone's journey safer. Click here for tips on how to avoid common errors that drivers sometimes make that can result in serious injury or death.

Tips for motorists on sharing the road with bicyclists

As bicycling gains in popularity, also on the rise is the likelihood of a crash with a car, truck, or other vehicle – and, so often, these crashes result in serious injury or death to the cyclist involved. According to the NHTSA, while overall passenger vehicle deaths decreased in 2012, bicyclist fatalities increased. Bicyclists injured in accidents with a vehicle also rose during this time. In sharing the road with bicyclists, motorists can do a few simple things to make everyone's journey safer. 

Ever had to slam on your brakes when driving through Bellingham to avoid a rear-end crash?

 It happens when, of course, Bellingham drivers least expect it – a big rig up ahead has spilled its load, or a distracted driver swerves into the lane ahead, creating chaos for other drivers. Or maybe a herd of deer crosses a Whatcom county road. Here’s what to do so you can avoid a rear-end collision by learning more about panic stops.

One thing you can do to help prevent rear end collisions in foggy conditions

Here's a hint: turn your lights off! But only if you have stopped well away from the roadway. For the explanation of why you'd ever want to turn off your lights in the fog, and more tips on getting through it safely, head over to the blog for lawyer Bill Coats from Bellingham, Washington, a place that's quite familiar with fog and rain.

Being hit from behind on a motorcycle can have devastating consequences

It’s not always so cut and dry who is at fault in a rear-end collision. Usually it’s the fault of the driver who was following behind. Sometimes it’s easy to determine, but other cases have other complications. The insurance companies, you can rest assured, have a group of people whose job it is to find loopholes where there is a gray area. And just about every case has some gray area. So what do you do if you have been hit by someone from  behind when you were on a motorcycle? Find out here.

When a car and train collide, the results can be deadly

Trains' whistles are often heard in Bellingham, and all through Whatcom County as well as Skagit County. As we are located in a busy corridor for trains traveling along the coast, their visits through here are increasingly frequent. Where cars and trains meet, sometimes deadlly accidents occur. Learn more about what factors can cause accidents at railroad crossings, and how dangerous it is for cars in an accident with a train.