The Importance Of Wearing A Motorcycle Helmet
Most of us who take riding seriously already wear a motorcycle helmet but there is still a fairly small percentage of riders who forego this vital piece of head protection. We all love the feeling of wind in our hair but riding without a helmet presents a variety of issues, not all of them related to crashing.
As a website dedicated to all things motorcycling, we feel it is our duty to at least highlight the risks involved for all those who live in a state or country where wearing a motorcycle helmet is not required by law. A fine is one thing, but more important is knowing whether a helmet helps in a motorcycle accident.
Protect Your Skull in the Event of a Crash
Sustaining a severe head injury is the number one cause for motorcycling related deaths as well as the type of injuries you simply don’t come back from. Road rash and the loss of limbs aren’t usually life-threatening but one significant blow to your head is – it’s as simple as that.
Whilst full-face helmets offer the most protection, any helmet is better than no helmet so go for a modular model or even a Harley Rider p*ss bucket (we love you Harley guys really) if you have to.
This may surprise you… If you don’t wear a helmet it may even have an impact on whether you can successfully sue for a head injury in the event of an accident!
Save Your Face from Flying Debris
I personally seem to be a magnet for wildlife when out on my bike, whether large insects, dogs or animals of the flying type. And having been hit in the torso on numerous occasions by what I can only describe as giant bugs – I have learnt that I really value my protective equipment.
I’ve also been hit by a decent-sized bird which seemed unable to avoid colliding with me and left a nice-sized grease smudge and a few feathers on my jacket as well as a pretty bruise.
The point of all this is that if I had been hit in the face without a helmet by any of these objects, I would have at best received a facial injury and at worst come off the bike due to a loss of vision.
You can’t control nature so save your face and maybe even your life.
Keep the Sun Off
The warmth of the Sun’s rays on your face can bring comfort on a cold day but when out on the bike, I like to be as cool and as shaded as possible. For me, this means wearing a helmet that covers the skin whilst still benefiting from the ventilation ports fitted throughout the helmets shell.
Best of all, I wear a tinted visor which is so much better than a pair of sunglasses – and for all you outlaws out there – will even allow you to ride around incognito.
In Conclusion
The choice is yours but hopefully, these reasons are enough for you to give it a little more thought. We’ve covered the motorcycle accident statistics elsewhere on this site but the evidence is pretty damning. Helmets can not only look pretty good but can be the difference between living to ride another day and a one way trip to the morgue.