Wearing a motorcycle helmet is safer than not wearing any helmet

Wearing a motorcycle helmet is safer than not wearing any helmet

A helmet is a protective gear worn by motorcyclists. Motorcycle accidents are the cause of deaths that result from head injuries. In road traffic accidents, motorcyclists are usually at high risk of face, neck, and head injuries as well as traumatic injuries of the brain. Additionally, more severe cases of traumatic head injuries have been reported compared to car accidents. Studies have proven that a significant decrease in head injuries and death is a result of wearing helmets. Therefore wearing a helmet is safer than not wearing any because it lowers the chances of brain damage and death for motorcyclists involved in traffic accidents.

A majority of studies have proven motorcycle crashes as the leading causes of disability and fatality (Hofmann et al., 2018). Also, a study that compared helmet use for states that comply and partially approve helmet laws established the association between the use of helmet and reduced traumatic injury of the brain, facial, head trauma, and death. For instance, in the USA, 42 % of those not wearing helmets died in motorcycle road accidents in 2010. However, states that complied with helmet laws showed reduced cases of injury and death resulting from a motorcycle accident. Besides, John Hopkins research study indicated an increase in spinal cord injuries for helmet wearing motorcyclists compared to those not wearing helmets.

Moreover, helmets are essential for protecting motorcyclists from atmospheric elements such as dust, smoke, and high winds (Faryabi et al., 2014). Also, the wind distracts motorcyclists from seeing ahead, which may be the likely cause of an accident. The helmet also acts as shock absorber hence preventing the intensity of impact on the motorcyclist. Wearing a helmet also prevents motorcyclists from disability-related accidents such as speech disability and walking disability. Motorcycle helmets consist of comfortable padding, which is useful in maintaining the position of the head and neck to provide head balance for the motorcyclist. The helmets’ outer shell also aids in preventing the interaction of the head with the ground minimizing neck and scratches.

References

Faryabi, J., Rajabi, M., & Alirezaee, S. (2014). Evaluation of the use and reasons for not using a helmet by motorcyclists admitted to the emergency ward of shahid bahonar hospital in kerman. Archives of trauma research, 3(3).

Hofmann, L. J., Babbitt-Jonas, R., Khoury, L., Perez, J. M., & Cohn, S. M. (2018). Fact and fiction regarding motorcycle helmet use, associated injuries, and related costs in the United States. Cureus, 10(11).