The Surreal Poster Series has been a program that was highly subscribed to. Delegates are able to download the poster series for free, featuring five posters focusing on the five key risk factors in road safety. Now, YOURS is featuring a focus on each poster explaining the risk factor behind each theme. This week, we focus on helmets…
Most injuries resulting from crashes involving motorcycles or bicycles are head injuries. Head injuries that do not result in death may still have a long term impact. In European countries, head injuries contribute to around 75% of deaths among motorcycle users and in some low-income and middle-income countries head injuries are estimated to account for up to 88% of such fatalities.
Helmets are vital because they offer the only protection when you are on motorcycle or bike. The body is totally exposed with no metallic framework for protection and no seatbelt to hold you in your seat and prevent you from being thrown off. Wearing a helmet is the single most effective way of reducing head injuries and fatalities resulting from motorcycle, moped, and bicycle crashes.
Although wearing a helmet makes sense on many levels, some people still try to minimize its importance. Others are also influenced by myths and misconceptions that are absolutely false. For example:
Helmets are just hats so they can’t protect the head
Helmets have four major components that work together to protect your head from injuries: a rigid outer shell, an impact absorbing liner, a comfort padding, face shield, and a retention system to buckle up. So, helmets are way more than hats!
Helmets block your ability to see
Although it might be partially true that full-face helmets reduce your vision when looking down, this is not what matters. What is more important is your ability to see what is happening on your sides, in your peripheral vision. And this is not affected when wearing a helmet. Helmets give you full ability to see what is happening in your surroundings.
Helmets prevent you from hearing dangers
Helmets lower sounds and noises but do not eliminate them. Tests have shown that all sounds can be heard very clearly when wearing a helmet so you do not have to worry about missing any danger signals. Not only that, but helmets actually protect your ears from wind sounds and from ear drum damage at speeds of more than 100km/hr.
There is no point wearing a helmet at low speeds
Even at low speeds, the force at which your head will hit another surface can result in severe injuries.
Its is clear that wearing helmets on motorcycle vehicles is imperative; a helmet could save your life!