UNITED STATES—Motorcycles are some of the ordinary means of transport across the country. Thousands of people currently use motorcycles for commuting, leisure activities, and even sports. The feeling of riding a bike is unmatched, and many bikers enjoy the feel of the cool passing breeze as they drive.
However, owning a motorcycle comes with the responsibility of safe riding, observing road signs, and using the right gear to avoid injuries in case of an accident.
Head injuries and head bruises are widespread in motorcycle accidents. So, experts recommend wearing a helmet as it prevents a great deal of the injuries listed below:
- Diffuse axonal injury
- Skull fractures
- Edemas
- Concussions
- Hemorrhage
Motorcycle Safety Standards
There are specific safety standards that a motorcycle helmet is supposed to attain to be considered suitable for use. Most of these standards overlap, which means that there is a higher chance that you may miss the best-designed helmet.
Here are some of the simple factors you need to consider if you struggle to find the best helmet.
Impact Test Capability
Helmets are mostly used to prevent impact injuries to the head in case of a severe accident. Therefore, the helmet you will be buying must be able to withstand significant impact so that your head remains protected.
The helmet should have passed a controlled simulation test that will indicate that it can withstand a considerable level of blunt force. Buying the helmet with the highest impact test capability plays a critical role in enhancing your head’s safety while on the road.
Positional Stability
Positional stability of the helmet has everything to do with preventing the helmet from rolling. If the helmet doesn’t stay put, there is a higher chance that the head will be injured.
Most motorcycle helmet manufacturers indicate that they have conducted the necessary tests to prevent rolling. However, it is vital for you to try and see whether the helmet fits snuggly on your head. You can test this by mounting the helmet on a plastic model’s head and dropping some weight on it.
Dynamic Retention Capability
Helmets are not only supposed to protect the upper head but also areas around the jaws and mouth. Dynamic retention capability has everything to do with the protection of the jaws.
A good helmet should have sufficient strength to protect jaws against any stretches and forces that could cripple the lower head’s functioning. A helmet that meets the necessary safety standards must hold more than 84 lbs. (38 kg.) without stretching or cracking.
Face Shield Penetration Test
Studies show that a significant number of motorcycle accidents are usually caused by poorly designed face shields that allow dirt to enter the eyes, thereby temporarily blinding motorcyclists.
Other poorly designed face shields are made in a way that affects visibility, which can lead to severe accidents. Therefore, you need to make sure that the face shield of your helmet is professionally structured.
Face shield penetration test is designed to prevent high-speed particles from penetrating and interfering with the eyes or the motorcyclists’ faces. A quality face shield should offer maximum safety against moving particles and excess rain or wind.
Keep Others Safe with the Right Gear
For pedestrians, not all the gear used by motorcyclists meets the necessary safety standards. As such, many motorcycle enthusiasts use cheaper equipment, which can easily cause an accident. Therefore, with such motorcyclists, the risk of being involved in a motorcycle accident is very high on our nation’s roads.
If you find yourself in such a situation, a motorcycle accident lawyer is your best bet in ensuring that you will access the necessary compensation within the shortest time possible. A poorly designed helmet would be no excuse if the driver skimped on its quality.
Early in his journalism career, Kerry L. Tucker had a revelation: there were not enough experts reporting on law issues. Legal matters are part of daily life. Yet, there seems to be a general aversion towards them. One of the main reasons for this is that the convoluted legal language is difficult for many people to follow. Therefore, he decided to change how the law is perceived by the public. Throughout his career, he met with many people who shared their personal stories with him. Some of these hit him harder. One of the cases that stayed with him and influenced his future career development was a car accident case involving a child. From then on, he decided to zero in on car accident lawsuits.
