Data available from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that vehicle accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the US. These types of injuries can occur anytime a person sustains a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Additionally, a traumatic brain injury can also occur anytime a person experiences a penetrating injury to their head. Any of these traumatic brain injury mechanisms can happen in a vehicle accident.
There are various ways that you can keep your head protected when you go out on the roadways of Montana. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Defensive driving. Even though we cannot control the actions of other drivers around us, we can control how we react to them. When you practice defensive driving on the roadways of Montana, this means you are taking the steps necessary to remain vigilant and alert at all times. Defensive drivers are better able to react to unsafe situations on the roadway.
Safe vehicles. All vehicles undergo safety testing. When you are deciding which car to buy for yourself or a family member, you should look to make sure that the vehicle has a good safety rating so that you can be comfortable behind the wheel. Safety testing in these situations includes testing a vehicle for how drivers and passers are affected by collisions from every side of the car. We also strongly encourage you to buy a vehicle with side-impact airbags.
Wearing a seat belt. Seatbelts are one of the best ways to prevent drivers and passengers from sustaining severe injuries in the event a collision occurs. Again, we cannot control the actions of other drivers around us, and not all accidents are preventable. However, when a person is wearing a seat belt, they are much less likely to strike their head on other objects inside the vehicle if a collision occurs.
Wearing a helmet. Motorcyclists should always wear a helmet when they are on the roadways of Montana. Even though this state does not have a universal motorcycle helmet law, we still recommend that all motorcyclists wear a helmet to prevent a severe traumatic brain injury from occurring.