Maryland Code, TRANSPORTATION 21-1306
Terms Used In Maryland Code, TRANSPORTATION 21-1306
- Administrator: includes an executor and a personal representative. See
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) An individual may not operate or ride on a motorcycle unless the individual is wearing protective headgear that meets the standards established by the Administrator.
(c) A person may not operate a motorcycle unless:
(1) He is wearing an eye-protective device of a type approved by the Administrator; or
(2) The motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen.
(d) The Administrator:
(1) May approve or disapprove protective headgear and eye-protective devices required by this section;
(2) May adopt and enforce regulations establishing standards and specifications for the approval of protective headgear and eye-protective devices; and
(3) Shall publish lists of all protective headgear and eye-protective devices that he approves, by name and type.
(e) (1) The failure of an individual to wear protective headgear required under subsection (b) of this section may not:
(i) Be considered evidence of negligence;
(ii) Be considered evidence of contributory negligence;
(iii) Limit liability of a party or an insurer; or
(iv) Diminish recovery for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or operation of a motorcycle.
(2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this subsection, a party, witness, or counsel may not make reference to protective headgear during a trial of a civil action that involves property damage, personal injury, or death if the damage, injury, or death is not related to the design, manufacture, supplying, or repair of protective headgear.
(3) (i) Nothing contained in this subsection may be construed to prohibit the right of a person to institute a civil action for damages against a dealer, manufacturer, distributor, factory branch, or other appropriate entity or person arising out of an incident that involves protective headgear alleged to be defectively designed, manufactured, or repaired.
(ii) In a civil action described under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph in which 2 or more parties are named as joint tort-feasors, interpleaded as defendants, or impleaded as defendants, and at least 1 of the joint tort-feasors or defendants is not involved in the design, manufacture, supplying, or repair of protective headgear, a court shall order on a motion of any party separate trials to accomplish the ends of justice.