Crash studies have shown that motorcyclists who wear helmets are 29% more likely to survive a motorcycle crash. In addition, they are 2.5x less likely to suffer a serious head injury, compared to those riders who opted not to ride with a helmet on. Yet, not everyone believes that motorcycle helmets are safe. Opponents of mandatory state motorcycle helmet laws say that helmets actually increase the rider’s risk of getting into a motorcycle crash. Why? They believe that they interfere with the rider’s ability to see and hear the surrounding traffic. But is this right? Are Motocycle Helmets Dangerous?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sponsored a study to determine if wearing a motorcycle helmet actually affected a rider’s ability to see and hear danger. In particular, they wanted to see if a helmet impacted a rider’s ability to visually detect other vehicles in adjacent lanes and detect traffic sounds when on a highway.
To conduct this study, the NHTSA observed 50 motorcyclists of varying ages and riding abilities. Each rider rode a predetermined course and were asked to do various motorcycle tasks, such as change lanes. Each rider rode the course 3x – once with a full helmet, once with a partial coverage helmet, and once without a helmet.
The vision test concluded that most riders turned their head a little farther when wearing a helmet to make up for the lost lateral field of view. Thus, it was determined that helmet use did not hamper the ability of the riders to see traffic in adjacent lanes.
The hearing test concluded that there was no significant difference in the riders’ ability to hear traffic sounds. At higher speeds, however, the riders did need a louder auditory signal – but that was for all riders, including those not wearing helmets. Thus, it was concluded that helmet use did not hamper the ability of the riders to hear auditory traffic signals.
Even though the state of Colorado only requires motorcyclists under the age of 18 to wear a helmet, safety experts urge all riders to wear a helmet. DOT-approved helmets save lives and prevent serious and catastrophic head injuries. In fact, 65% of all fatal motorcycle accidents occur each year in states without universal motorcycle helmet laws.
Contact Our Experienced Pueblo Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you or someone you love is injured in a motorcycle accident in Pueblo or anywhere in the state of Colorado, our Pueblo motorcycle accident attorneys can help you during this difficult time. We can help you negotiate with insurance companies and ensure that you obtain the money you need to recover from all your injuries. If you sustained a permanent disability, we can ensure that you also receive the money you need to make up for loss of future income, reduced quality of life, and future medical expenses. Call Pueblo attorneys at Smith & Smith, today for a FREE CONSULTATION – (719) 544-0062.