Motorcycle Helmet Safety Facts

Riding a motorcycle is fun. It’s a favorite pastime of many people all over the world, but that doesn’t mean that safety should be ignored.

Your brain is one of the most important organs in your body. Sure, your cranium provides protection for your brain, but it’s not the end-all-be-all of injury prevention.

Sports like American Football and Hockey require players to wear helmets because of the risk of injury to the player’s heads. It stands to reason that if sports players need helmets for protection, then so do motorcycle enthusiasts. While playing a game, sports players aren’t on roads with tons of steel on wheels whizzing around them.

For an even better example, all vehicle-related sports like Nascar, Formula-1, Motocross, and the like require players to wear helmets. It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

Head injuries are a leading cause of death and disability.

For motorcycle and bicycle riders, the main cause of death, severe injury, and disability are head and neck injuries. In European countries, about 75% of deaths of motorcycle users are attributed to head injuries. That number can shoot up to as high as 88% in some low-income and middle-income countries.

Head injuries often require specialized, long-term care, making the medical and social costs for survivors high—not to mention the strain and costs to family members. Head injuries also place a high toll on a country’s health care costs, which negatively impacts the economy—head injuries are among the highest medical costs.

Today we are going to talk about Motorcycle Helmet Safety that you should know. It is the most important part for the motorcyclist. We all already know the regulations on the use of Helmets. The use of Helmets is mandatory for motorcyclists and their companions.

However, head injuries are the leading cause of death in traffic accidents involving motorcycles. The use of the Helmet reduces by 30% the possibility of suffering fatal injuries, it also increases the possibility of not suffering any damage.

Types of Helmets That Express Motorcycle Helmet Safety

The market given its important role both in terms of safety and aesthetics, as well as that it is a totally mandatory element according to the Traffic Law. It offers us a wide variety of types of motorcycle helmets to choose from with different designs that adapt better or worse depending on the situation, the type of motorcycle, and the rider.

Classic or Retro helmet

They are the minimal expression of Casco and are highly undesirable. Due to their design, they are usually used for Cruiser motorcycles, where aesthetics plays a fundamental role and the driving rhythm is usually calm. They leave the face unprotected and part of the head as well, especially the lateral parts and the back. They are very thin and the fit to the head is less.

Security level: LOW.

Jet Helmet

They offer a slightly higher degree of security than the Classic, however, their level of security remains low. They protect most of the head but leave the part of the face totally unprotected.

Security level: LOW.

Jet helmet with a screen

The Jet Helmet with the screen is the same Jet Helmet but with a plastic screen, with the advantage that it provides greater protection against wind, dust, and insects, otherwise its screens are not resistant enough to protect the face.

Security level: LOW.

Trial Helmet

The trial helmet is developed for the protection of athletes who practice sport and manages to meet the safety requirements to practice sport. However, they are not ideal to be used outside of this discipline. Although as a general rule they are approved to circulate with them as well on the road at that time they become a Jet Helmet without a screen anymore, lowering their protection to very low since it is not what they were planned for.

Security level: LOW.

Off-Road Helmet

The off-road Helmets are very specific specially designed for use in motocross bikes. They are very light helmets, with a prominent, very ventilated chin guard, a visor against the sun but without a screen, as they are designed to be used with motocross goggles.

They are helmets with which a great physical exercise is normally done. So they are designed to guarantee good ventilation, as well as a wide field of vision

Security level: MEDIUM.

Multi-Modular Helmet

One of the latest types of Helmets to reach the market are multi-modular. Assembling and disassembling, you get full-face, urban helmets, with or without a visor, and with or without a chin guard.

They are rare helmets now and only a few brands have them in their catalog, varying their level of protection depending on the type of helmet that is desired. But the more parts that can be disassembled in a helmet, the lower the resistance in case of impact.

Security level: GOOD.

Modular Helmet

This type of Helmet is quite practical. It comes with a folding chin guard. So, by activating a mechanism you can turn a full face modular helmet into one similar to a jet. It is heavier than a full-face helmet. Some have smoked glasses inside that are also foldable. They are ideal for long trips where you can reveal your face without having to remove your helmet. It is generally not recommended to use it without the chin guard, but the modularity makes it quite practical.

Security level: GOOD

Trail helmet

The Trail helmets are a mixture between off-road helmets and integrals helmets. They are one-piece helmets, with chin guard, it leaves the face clear like the off-road ones. It has a sun visor, like the off-road ones, but they integrate a screen like the full-face helmets.

It is the Helmet used for trail and Adventure events; it is also a Helmet used for those who like endure. But do not isolate the sound well.

Security level: HIGH

Full helmet

They are the most common Helmets, the ones with the highest level of protection. They are composed of a single piece, they are the ones that best adapt to the head, firmly protecting the face and chin. They are composed of a single piece so that in the event of an impact nothing could be disassembled.

They are the most recommended helmets for all types of road motorcycles, from scooters to large tourist motorcycles. There are very different ranges, the highest end is the lightest and quietest.

Security level: VERY HIGH

What Motorcycle Helmet Should I Buy for My Safety?

Depending on the type of helmet there will be some factors that we must know Whether safe or not. The first thing we must know the correct size we need.

Proper size is essential. Almost 20% of helmets are thrown away after a serious accident. Because most of the time the size was not adequate or was not properly adjusted.

To make sure you should buy the correct size. You should measure the circumference of your head and place a tape measure above your ears.

In addition to the correct size, the elements that we must look at when buying a helmet are the following:

Homologation:

Homologation is a very important point to consider. We must know that our helmet has the European Homologation label that guarantees that it has passed the minimum relevant resistance tests to be sure that it will protect you in the event of an accident.

The manufacturing material:

Obviously, the better the material with which it has been manufactured, the greater its safety. For example, fiber materials will better absorb impact energy than those made from thermoplastics.

Helmet with screen or anti-fog system:

Assess whether choosing a helmet with a screen or anti-fog system is something that you will appreciate in the rainy season and in the winter. Most of the medium and high-end models usually have the Pin-Lock system incorporated. It is a screen that is installed inside the visor and prevents it from fogging up. But to clean the Pin lock, you must be very careful as this piece is very sensitive and could scratch the slightest bit.

Finally, aspects such as the ventilation system, its comfort, or its design should not pass up either.

Tips When Selecting the helmet

• Don’t choose the Helmet just for the design
• The helmet must comply with the safety standards required by the ministry of transport
• Please measure the helmet before buying it, that it does not fit you lose or tight.
• Check that the chin guard closes completely.
• The helmet should not be too heavy.
• Preferably use colors that allow greater visibility, especially when driving at night.
• The visor must be in good condition, to allow greater visibility
• Remember that the passenger must also wear the helmet of safety throughout the duration of the ride of the motorcycle.
• Remember to change the helmet in case of a fall or impact, they lose their resistance in this way, change it for safety.

Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69% and reduce the risk of death by 37%.

Across the world, the number of people using motorcycles is increasing—for transport and recreational reasons. The biggest factor in the growth of the number of vehicles on the roads of the world is the rising use of motorcycles. Asian countries—in particular—are expected to experience a significant rise in motorcycle users.

In low-income and middle-income countries, head injuries and fatalities are already increasing as the trend of motorcycle users rises.

North American trauma surgeons believe those motorcycle helmets are crucial in reducing the risk of brain injury and subsequent costs.

The most effective way to save lives and money would be a universal helmet law. Motorcycle fatalities are highly costly, but also can be prevented.

Since 2000, the number of deaths associated with motorcycle users has risen by 55%. About 80% of all motorcycle crashes result in death or injury. That’s a staggering number when considering that only about 20% of automobile crashes result in death or injury.

Motorcycle helmets reduce the impact of a force or collision to the head which reduces the risk of serious injuries to the brain and head. Helmets prevent a direct impact of the skull and other objects—such as the road, trees, or other vehicles—by acting as a protective barrier between the head and the potentially lethal object of impact.

If all motorcyclists wore helmets, the United States would save more than $1billiion in economic costs each year.