News
Jun. 22, 2024
Introduction
Riding a bicycle, motorcycle, or other vehicle without a helmet is extremely dangerous and in many cases fatal. Every year, hundreds of thousands of preventable head injuries and deaths occur simply because people failed to wear proper protective headgear. This article will examine crucial facts about helmet use, including laws and regulations requiring helmets, data showing helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head trauma and death, additional safety benefits helmets provide, proper helmet fit and use, different types of helmets, common excuses people make for not wearing helmets, and how we can promote the use of helmets to save lives. Wearing a helmet whenever riding a bike, motorcycle, or other vehicle is one of the smartest and simplest ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from needless tragedy.
Helmet Laws and Regulations
Helmet use is mandated by law for bicycle riders in many places around the world. In the United States, 21 states and the District of Columbia have statewide laws requiring bicycle helmets for young riders. Some states require helmets for all bicycle riders, while others have age-specific laws. For example, in New Jersey all riders under 17 must wear a helmet, while California requires helmets for riders under 18. Some major cities also have their own bicycle helmet laws, like Seattle, which requires helmets for all bicycle riders.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, helmet use among fatally injured bicyclists is up to 4 times higher in states with helmet laws compared to states without. Research shows that helmet laws significantly reduce bicyclist deaths and head injuries. After Australia introduced mandatory bike helmet laws in the 1990s, head injuries decreased by 48%. However, some critics argue that helmet laws infringe on personal liberties and discourage people from biking. There are controversies around how effective helmets actually are and whether laws boost safety or simply reduce public health by lowering cycling participation rates. But most research confirms that bike helmet laws save lives by increasing helmet use.
Reducing Risk of Head Injury
Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce your risk of sustaining a head injury while riding a bike, motorcycle, scooter, skateboard, snowboard, or skis. Studies have consistently shown that helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by around 50-70% compared to not wearing one.
Head injuries are very common in these activities without a helmet. For example, studies show that over 60% of bicyclists who are in an accident and hit their head suffer from traumatic brain injuries if they are not wearing a helmet. However, helmets reduce the risk of brain injuries by nearly 90%.
Helmets protect against many types of head injuries including concussions, skull fractures, brain bleeding, and bruising. They cushion and absorb shock during an impact, helping prevent direct trauma to the skull and brain. The hard outer shell spreads force and helps prevent penetrating injuries. The inner liner reduces rotational forces to the head and brain that can cause dangerous brain injuries like concussions.
Multiple studies have confirmed the life-saving effects of helmets. A 2020 study in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at over 6,000 injured bicyclists, and found that helmets reduced the risk of severe head injuries by nearly 70%. Another study found that mandatory motorcycle helmet laws in the U.S. saved over $3 billion in costs and prevented over 1,200 deaths per year. Wearing a helmet is one of the simplest ways to protect your head and reduce the likelihood of sustaining major injuries.
Saving Lives
Wearing a helmet while riding a bike, motorcycle, or other vehicle can literally save your life in the event of an accident. There are countless examples of helmets saving people's lives or preventing more serious injury in crashes.
For example, John was riding his motorcycle on the highway when a car cut him off unexpectedly. John's motorcycle went down and he slid across the pavement. The only thing that saved John's head from slamming into the ground was his sturdy motorcycle helmet. While John suffered bad road rash across his body, his head was protected. The doctor told John that he likely would have suffered major brain trauma if he hadn't been wearing his helmet.
Jill was an avid cyclist who always wore her helmet, even on short rides around her neighborhood. One day a car backed out of a driveway quickly as Jill was passing by on her bike. Jill collided with the car and was thrown over the handlebars onto the pavement. Luckily Jill was wearing her helmet, which cracked from the force of impact. Jill had a concussion, but the doctor said if she hadn't been wearing a helmet her injuries could have been life threatening.
Stories like these demonstrate how critical it is to wear a helmet when engaging in activities with risk of falls or collisions. Helmets have been proven to reduce the risk of head injuries by up to 85%. By cushioning the head and absorbing impact, helmets can truly save lives. Anytime you get on a bike, motorcycle, skateboard, scooter, or other vehicle, be sure to grab your helmet. It could be what stands between you and a traumatic brain injury if an accident occurs. Don't take the risk with your life.
Other Safety Benefits
Wearing a helmet provides critical safety benefits beyond just protecting your head. Helmets can improve visibility and hearing, which is crucial for staying aware of your surroundings.
Many helmets have built-in visors or face shields that protect your eyes from dust, dirt, insects, and other debris. Tinted visors can reduce glare from the sun, while clear visors give you a wide field of vision. This improved visibility allows you to see potential hazards and react quickly.
Helmets can also enhance hearing compared to riding without one. They reduce ambient wind noise so you can better hear traffic, voices, and other important sounds. Some motorcycle helmets even have pockets for inserting speakers to listen to music or GPS directions.
Full-face motorcycle helmets offer even more protection with a chin bar guarding your face. Modular helmets take it a step further with a flip-up chin bar that can be raised to make talking and eating more convenient.
So while shielding your head is a helmet's primary purpose, the additional benefits for visibility and hearing are key for staying safe on the roads. Helmets give you added awareness to dodge dangers before an accident occurs.
Proper Helmet Fit and Use
Wearing a helmet is only effective if it fits properly and is secured correctly. Follow these guidelines for proper helmet fit and use:
● Size - Measure your head circumference to ensure getting the right helmet size. Helmets should fit snugly all around, with no gaps.
● Position - The helmet should sit level on your head and low on your forehead, with no tilting back. The front rim should be one to two finger widths above the eyebrows.
● Straps - Buckle and tighten the chin straps so no more than one or two fingers can fit between the strap and chin. Adjust slider straps at the nape of the neck for a snug fit.
● Coverage - The helmet should not rock back and forth or side to side on your head when secured. Full coverage helmets provide more protection.
● Replace - Over time, the materials in helmets break down from sweat, sun exposure, minor impacts, and age. Replace any helmet that has visible damage. Most recommend replacing after 3-5 years.
Following helmet fit guidelines ensures optimal stability, positioning, and coverage for effective injury prevention. Take time to properly adjust and secure straps for maximum protection each time you wear your helmet.
Types of Helmets
There are different types of helmets designed for specific activities and transportation methods. The key differences come down to the materials used, amount of cove...
