As a motorcyclist, you understand that you often have a higher risk of physical injury than your counterparts in covered vehicles. This is an unfortunate side effect of being in a vehicle with very little protection.
To help prevent damages, you likely wear a helmet. But do you know how much a helmet actually does to protect you from injury if you get involved in a crash?
The proven effectiveness of helmets
The National Library of Medicine looks into how the protective effects of motorcycle helmets can differ against head injuries. First and foremost, the study points out that the degree of protection offered to various types of head injuries remains unclear. The study focused on a few different types of injury, including cerebral concussion and skull fracture. It also examined intracranial hemorrhage and cerebral contusions.
The results showed that helmets had a significant impact on the reduction of skull fractures, with it offering a 69 percent reduction in the chance of suffering from one. Cerebral contusions saw a 71 percent reduction, while intracranial hemorrhage only saw a 53 percent reduction.
A lack of equal protection
This study, therefore, suggests that while helmets can and do offer protection from injuries motorcyclists face, they do not offer equal protection from all harm and could thus benefit from continued improvements that target weaker areas.
The reduction of injury risk – however large or small it happens to be – shows that having a motorcycle helmet is better than not having a helmet at all. Thus, you and any fellow motorcyclists you know should always strap on a helmet any time you hit the road.
