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Motorbike Safety Gear Advice
Motorbike Accident Helmets
Tip -The Colour of Your Helmet Could Save Your Life!
Compared with wearing a dark motorbike accident helmet, use of a light coloured helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk of being involved in an motorbike accident.
It is a legal requirement to wear a helmet just like seatbelts for motor vehicles. It’s for your personal safety. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury to bike riders by about 72%. The risk of death and the reduction of serious injuries are also reduced. There is a lot of research into the effectiveness of crash helmets suggesting protection against face injuries but no positive results to reduce neck injuries. In fact we have found some research which suggests that wearing a crash helmet may cause injury to parts of the head or neck because they add mass to the head. However, it is uncontroversial that unhelmeted bike riders are at a much greater risk of death and injury than their helmeted counter parts.
Motorbike Accident Helmets not only protect you from direct injury but they also provide protection from the elements, debris and bugs.
The purpose of the helmet is to protect the brain rather than the skull. Skull fractures if not life threatening will heal over time unlike neurological tissue which has limited self recovering qualities. Brain injuries following a motorbike accident are more serious as they frequently result in death, permanent disability or personality change. Injury to the skull and face are thus a secondary but important concern.
There are two main types of Motorbike Accident Helmets which are full face or open face. The full face variety covers the entire head with a rear that covers the base of the skull together with a chin guard and visor. The other type of helmet is an open face which lacks the protection of the chin guard. The advantage of the full face helmet is the protection it offers (35% of all crashes revealed damage to the chin area), the disadvantage is the added heat, weight and isolation.
Look Out For Minimum Standards - Reduce Motobike Accident Injuries
Motorbike Accident Helmets must meet certain standards and you should look out for BSI 6658 and ECE 22.05. Never buy a second hand helmet as they could be damaged and will not afford the protection you need even if it comes with the certification. As with clothing it should fit snugly with no movement.
Some manufactures claim that “cheaper” motorbike accident helmets may be a “softer” fit but this is due to inferior materials as when worn over time there will be greater movement and protection reduced. Over time the helmet will shape and mould itself to your head so it is important not to let anyone else borrow your helmet over a period of time as it may not fit you properly when you get it back.
Motorbike Accident Helmets must be checked periodically for and if dropped may have to be replaced even if there appears to be no damage. Helmets are designed to crack or break when force is applied to disperse the energy which otherwise be applied to the skull which is why any damage or suspected damage to a helmet should be carefully investigated. It’s always better to err on the side of caution, “if in doubt, throw it out.”
Construction of Motorbike Accident Helmets
These are made from plastics, polycarbonate, fibre glass and Kevlar. The better quality helmets are reinforced with carbon fibre or Kevlar, they last longer and are heavier. Polycarbonate helmets tend to be at the cheaper end of the market and are lighter but offer less protection. Most motorbike accident helmets have a foam interior for comfort and absorbent protections.
Motorbike Accident Protective Clothing
Whilst there is a legal obligation to wear a crash helmet when riding a motor cycle this does not apply to clothing. To provide as much injury protection as possible, a motorbike accident crash helmet must be accompanied by jackets, pants, gloves and boots. Adequate protective clothing will help reduce the severity the injuries and prevent minor injuries.
Correct Fitting Just As Important
The protection qualities of protective clothing will lose its safety effectiveness if they are incorrectly fitted. In an accident the force of impact will shift the armour out of position, will create unnecessary wear and tear, over time will be uncomfortable and distract the rider.
A danger may occur in the event of a fall where garments may catch onto the road surface or other object which may result in a tumble rather than a slide to expel the force of impact.
Other issues to consider is comfort, protection against weather conditions, ventilation and style! European standards are now available and should be an important factor when deciding to purchase protective clothing.
Motorbike accident leather jackets afford a great deal of protection as does “Kevlar” which is a light but very strong synthetic fibre. Its strength to weight ratio is reported to be 5 times stronger than steel. Additional padding is strategically places where common bike accident injuries occur at the elbow, back and shoulder region.
Motorbike accident gloves are generally made of leather, again afford protection round the hand, wrist and some to the forearm. Some are made of “Kevlar” and carbon fibre. Grip, flexibility and size are other important factors to decide when choosing the right pair. If you can afford to, a spare pair is always advisable as gloves are often lost.
Motorbike accident Pants are usually made of leather (good quality bovine) again with additional padding at strategic areas such as the knees and seat area. Quality leather will last 10 times longer than cotton and affords much greater protection against scrape, slide and gravel burns.
A good set of motorbike accident leather boots reinforced around the ankle and toes for added protection in critical areas. Everyday type of footwear such as shoes and trainers should be avoided at all costs as they offer no protection at all.
Motorbike Accident Safety Standards
When purchasing protective clothing you need to consider the European Standards. Quality accredited clothing is essential as without the “water mark” there are no guarantees for protection in manufacture, design, materials used and test methods amongst others. The numbers to look out for are hereunder:
EN 1621-1 1997 : Motorcyclists’ protective clothing against mechanical impact & test methods.
EN 13595-2 2003 : Motorcyclists’ protective clothing against mechanical & back protectors.
The European Standards for motorcyclists’ protective clothing, footwear, gloves and impact protectors provide an international benchmark and should always be considered upon any purchase of protective bike rider attire. Inferior protection are likely to result in greater injury and should not be overlooked on any purchase.
Motorcycle Injury Compensation Dummy
We have developed a very useful motorcycle accident injury compensation calculator dummy that helps claimants to understand how much motorcycle injury compensation they may receive. The injury compensation calculator provides motorcycle crash victims with a quick compensation estimator tool that is very easy to use. Visit our motorcycle accident compensation dummy by clicking here.
Motorcycle Accident Experts,
R. James Hutcheon Solicitors
The Heath Business & Technology Park
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 4QX
Tel: 0871 218 1082
Fax: 0871 218 1082
Email: contact@hutcheonlaw.co.uk
Tip -The Colour of Your Helmet Could Save Your Life!
Compared with wearing a dark motorbike accident helmet, use of a light coloured helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk of being involved in an motorbike accident.
It is a legal requirement to wear a helmet just like seatbelts for motor vehicles. It’s for your personal safety. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury to bike riders by about 72%. The risk of death and the reduction of serious injuries are also reduced. There is a lot of research into the effectiveness of crash helmets suggesting protection against face injuries but no positive results to reduce neck injuries. In fact we have found some research which suggests that wearing a crash helmet may cause injury to parts of the head or neck because they add mass to the head. However, it is uncontroversial that unhelmeted bike riders are at a much greater risk of death and injury than their helmeted counter parts.
Motorbike Accident Helmets not only protect you from direct injury but they also provide protection from the elements, debris and bugs.
The purpose of the helmet is to protect the brain rather than the skull. Skull fractures if not life threatening will heal over time unlike neurological tissue which has limited self recovering qualities. Brain injuries following a motorbike accident are more serious as they frequently result in death, permanent disability or personality change. Injury to the skull and face are thus a secondary but important concern.
There are two main types of Motorbike Accident Helmets which are full face or open face. The full face variety covers the entire head with a rear that covers the base of the skull together with a chin guard and visor. The other type of helmet is an open face which lacks the protection of the chin guard. The advantage of the full face helmet is the protection it offers (35% of all crashes revealed damage to the chin area), the disadvantage is the added heat, weight and isolation.
Look Out For Minimum Standards - Reduce Motobike Accident Injuries
Motorbike Accident Helmets must meet certain standards and you should look out for BSI 6658 and ECE 22.05. Never buy a second hand helmet as they could be damaged and will not afford the protection you need even if it comes with the certification. As with clothing it should fit snugly with no movement.
Some manufactures claim that “cheaper” motorbike accident helmets may be a “softer” fit but this is due to inferior materials as when worn over time there will be greater movement and protection reduced. Over time the helmet will shape and mould itself to your head so it is important not to let anyone else borrow your helmet over a period of time as it may not fit you properly when you get it back.
Motorbike Accident Helmets must be checked periodically for and if dropped may have to be replaced even if there appears to be no damage. Helmets are designed to crack or break when force is applied to disperse the energy which otherwise be applied to the skull which is why any damage or suspected damage to a helmet should be carefully investigated. It’s always better to err on the side of caution, “if in doubt, throw it out.”
Construction of Motorbike Accident Helmets
These are made from plastics, polycarbonate, fibre glass and Kevlar. The better quality helmets are reinforced with carbon fibre or Kevlar, they last longer and are heavier. Polycarbonate helmets tend to be at the cheaper end of the market and are lighter but offer less protection. Most motorbike accident helmets have a foam interior for comfort and absorbent protections.
Motorbike Accident Protective Clothing
Whilst there is a legal obligation to wear a crash helmet when riding a motor cycle this does not apply to clothing. To provide as much injury protection as possible, a motorbike accident crash helmet must be accompanied by jackets, pants, gloves and boots. Adequate protective clothing will help reduce the severity the injuries and prevent minor injuries.
Correct Fitting Just As Important
The protection qualities of protective clothing will lose its safety effectiveness if they are incorrectly fitted. In an accident the force of impact will shift the armour out of position, will create unnecessary wear and tear, over time will be uncomfortable and distract the rider.
A danger may occur in the event of a fall where garments may catch onto the road surface or other object which may result in a tumble rather than a slide to expel the force of impact.
Other issues to consider is comfort, protection against weather conditions, ventilation and style! European standards are now available and should be an important factor when deciding to purchase protective clothing.
Motorbike accident leather jackets afford a great deal of protection as does “Kevlar” which is a light but very strong synthetic fibre. Its strength to weight ratio is reported to be 5 times stronger than steel. Additional padding is strategically places where common bike accident injuries occur at the elbow, back and shoulder region.
Motorbike accident gloves are generally made of leather, again afford protection round the hand, wrist and some to the forearm. Some are made of “Kevlar” and carbon fibre. Grip, flexibility and size are other important factors to decide when choosing the right pair. If you can afford to, a spare pair is always advisable as gloves are often lost.
Motorbike accident Pants are usually made of leather (good quality bovine) again with additional padding at strategic areas such as the knees and seat area. Quality leather will last 10 times longer than cotton and affords much greater protection against scrape, slide and gravel burns.
A good set of motorbike accident leather boots reinforced around the ankle and toes for added protection in critical areas. Everyday type of footwear such as shoes and trainers should be avoided at all costs as they offer no protection at all.
Motorbike Accident Safety Standards
When purchasing protective clothing you need to consider the European Standards. Quality accredited clothing is essential as without the “water mark” there are no guarantees for protection in manufacture, design, materials used and test methods amongst others. The numbers to look out for are hereunder:
EN 1621-1 1997 : Motorcyclists’ protective clothing against mechanical impact & test methods.
EN 13595-2 2003 : Motorcyclists’ protective clothing against mechanical & back protectors.
The European Standards for motorcyclists’ protective clothing, footwear, gloves and impact protectors provide an international benchmark and should always be considered upon any purchase of protective bike rider attire. Inferior protection are likely to result in greater injury and should not be overlooked on any purchase.
Motorcycle Injury Compensation Dummy
We have developed a very useful motorcycle accident injury compensation calculator dummy that helps claimants to understand how much motorcycle injury compensation they may receive. The injury compensation calculator provides motorcycle crash victims with a quick compensation estimator tool that is very easy to use. Visit our motorcycle accident compensation dummy by clicking here.
Motorcycle Accident Experts,
R. James Hutcheon Solicitors
The Heath Business & Technology Park
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 4QX
Tel: 0871 218 1082
Fax: 0871 218 1082
Email: contact@hutcheonlaw.co.uk