The importance of any motorcycle riders safety

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Introduction

The importance of any motorcycle rider’s safety cannot be overemphasized. For the last few decades, there has been quite a large number of motorcycle accidents, which have left the riders incapacitated while others have had fatal results. While there are varied reasons for occurrences of accidents, there has been debate over whether the results of those accidents would have been less traumatic than that had the riders been wearing helmets. Issues pertaining to wearing of helmets when riding motorcycles have been quite controversial. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports that, 4955 motorcyclists perished in 2008, in motorcycle accidents. It is noteworthy that 41% of the fatalities were not wearing a helmet (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 13). As much as many people feel that wearing of helmets is common sense, quite a large number of motor cycle riders feel otherwise.

First, most motorcyclists are irked by the weight that helmets incorporate. In fact, most motorists opine that these helmets pose a safety risk thanks to their weight. The Mesriani Law Group states that the shape and weight of the helmet is a contributing factor to the breakage of motorists’ necks in an accident. In addition, a motorist’s neck may find the helmet too weighty to support (Mesriani Law Group 14). The problem is compounded in the case of new riders who may be distracted by helmets thereby leading to an accident. On the same note, wearing helmets deletes the whole essence of having a motorcycle. It is noteworthy that motorcycles are usually a reflection of freedom for bike riders. They can feel their hair flying in the wind alongside other elements of their faces (Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, 15). This sense of freedom is entirely lost when a motorist wears a helmet as it confines him, making him feel as if he is in an enclosed vehicle. On the same note, quite a large number of motorists opine that the sides of the helmets’ shield obstruct their peripheral vision while the thick inner liner and thick shell weaken their ability to hear (Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, 18). Anyone would agree that helmets may, in fact, be prejudicial to the safety of the motorists especially when it is compounded with their weight.

Nevertheless, the importance of wearing a helmet cannot be gainsaid as far as the safety of motorists is concerned. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 1829 out of the total 4955 deaths that occurred in 2008 could have been averted had the motorists been wearing a helmet. On the same note, the American College of Emergency Physicians states that the use of helmets is the single most crucial factor in individuals surviving motorcycle accidents. They help in preventing injury of the brain and head, as well as the nose, eyes, chin and mouth (Kunich, 16). In addition, helmets that incorporate visors would keep debris such as birds, insects, rocks and dirt out of the riders’ eyes.

On the same note, properly certified helmets work by lowering the magnitude of kinetic energy that is transmitted to the rider’s brain, in case of an impact, through spreading the force across its rigid shell. The inner liner of the helmet absorbs the remaining force. According to helmet manufacturers and the NHTSA, the helmet can reduce head and brain injury by 69%. In the case of fatigue, helmets are known to reduce the riders’ fatigue by enhancing the aerodynamics, not to mention the protection offered to the eyes by the face shield (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 19). While riders complain that the weight of the helmets is limiting, it is imperative that they understand that their necks would be stressed by the wind velocity that the neck muscles endure in high speeds. Most helmet manufacturers have designed their helmets while incorporating wind tunnels to enhance the streamlined form. This means that the neck muscles are relieved of the stress they would have endured. Some helmet designs have a slip-down inner visor that provides the rider with glare reducing visor, which is crucial during daytime riding, as well as a clear visor useful for night riding.

Whether or not wearing of helmets is mandatory in one’s state, the importance of helmets cannot be gainsaid as far as the safety of the rider is concerned. As much as it may be limiting the comfort of the motorist, it surely does enhance his chances of surviving an accident. As much as the weight of the helmet may weigh down on the head of the rider, the streamlined design eliminates the stress that the neck of the rider would have endured especially in high speeds. For individuals who feel that their hearing abilities are hampered by the helmet, it is worth noting that the flip-down visor that many helmets incorporates provides the rider with glare-reducing visors, which are crucial during for daytime riding, while the clear visors enhance nighttime riding. Evidently, helmets have more advantages than cons especially with regards to enhancing the rider’s safety (Foss and Beirness 23). In any case, one runs the risk of going against the law if he or she does not wear a helmet. I bet that helmets enhance one’s freedom of riding in the knowledge that his head is safe in case of an accident. Nevertheless, it is a matter of determining whether convenience better than one’s safety and life.

Dear Sir/ Madam Re: Scope and purpose of the essay

Purpose

This essay was aims at examining the pros and cons of wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle. In addition, it aims at rebuffing the myths as to the cons of wearing helmets. In the end, the reader should be able to see the importance of wearing helmets when riding motorcycles.

Lessons learnt

This research provided a new basis for examining the safety incorporated in helmets. Lessons pertaining to the aerodynamics incorporated in the streamlined design of motorcycle helmets quelled earlier fears on the effects of their weight. This research altered my understanding as to the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle.

Difficulties encountered

As much as the research topic may be relatively general, there were varied hustles that were encountered. These mainly pertained to the availability of quality materials on the topic. It is noteworthy that most of the materials expressed personal opinions and not the correct information pertaining to the topic.

Enjoyment in the assignment

Nevertheless, the assignment came with a number of upsides. These especially pertained to the varied opinions and comments that most of the writers had posted on the topic, most of which bordered on the hilarious. In addition, getting new insights as to the aerodynamics incorporated in the helmets, as well as the laws governing use of helmets was enjoyable as it was informative.

Why write on the topic

My decision to write about this topic is informed by the fact that I have a passion for bike riding. I have been following the debate as to whether wearing a helmet when riding a bike should be made compulsory with great interest. I am concerned about my safety when riding a motorbike and I was confused as to whether helmets enhance or jeopardize one’s safety.

Annotated Bibliography

National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. Traffic safety facts 2008 data. 2009. Print

The traffic safety facts 2008 Data presents information on the motorcycle accidents that occurred in 2008. It also presents data on the number of fatalities who were wearing helmets and those who were not. It also discusses other dynamics that were involved in the accidents such as alcohol and riding of unlicensed motorbikes.

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. Our Response to Some Negative Views on Helmets. Web 2012 retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://www.bhsi.org/negativs.htm” http://www.bhsi.org/negativs.htm

This article examines the varied negative views that motorists have about wearing helmets. Issues such as comfort, cost, safety and helmets dynamics are discussed in this article. It is noteworthy that the article aims at rebuffing the different negative views that people have pertaining to wearing of helmets, especially as concerning comfort, cost, and safety.

Kunich, Thomas. Latest CPSC Helmet Standard and US Fatality Trends. 2002. Web retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://www.vehicularcyclist.com/kunich.html” http://www.vehicularcyclist.com/kunich.html

This article examines the standards that all helmets in the United States are required to have for them to be passed on to the consumer. In addition, it examines the aspect of safety that helmets come with while presenting interesting facts about the same. The discussion revolves the printed warnings that should be incorporated in the helmets, pertaining to the ability of the helmet to protect the rider after being crashed once.

Mesriani Law Group. The Pros and Cons of Motorcycle Helmets in L.A. 2010. Web retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://mesrianilaw.blog.ca/2010/08/23/the-pros-and-cons-of-motorcycle-helmets-in-l-a-9225825/rticle” http://mesrianilaw.blog.ca/2010/08/23/the-pros-and-cons-of-motorcycle-helmets-in-l-a-9225825/rticle

This examines the varied inhibitions that people have as pertaining to the use of motorcycle helmets. It presents the advantages and disadvantages that come with the wearing of helmets. In addition, it presents factual information about the importance of wearing helmets while rebuffing some of the negative views that are held pertaining to motorcycle helmets.

Foss, Robert, and Beirness, Douglass. Bicycle Helmet Use in British Columbia: Effects of the Helmet Use Law. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina. 2000

This report aims at examining how effective the implementation of the Bicycle helmet use law has been in British Columbia. It also examines how the use of helmets is distributed according to location, age and sex among other demographics. In essence, it examines the trends in fatalities prior to and after the enactment of the law in 1996.

Works cited

National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. Traffic safety facts 2008 data. 2009. Print

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. Our Response to Some Negative Views on Helmets. Web 2012 retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://www.bhsi.org/negativs.htm” http://www.bhsi.org/negativs.htm

Kunich, Thomas. Latest CPSC Helmet Standard and US Fatality Trends. 2002. Web retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://www.vehicularcyclist.com/kunich.html” http://www.vehicularcyclist.com/kunich.html

Mesriani Law Group. The Pros and Cons of Motorcycle Helmets in L.A. 2010. Web retrieved May 11, 2012 from HYPERLINK “http://mesrianilaw.blog.ca/2010/08/23/the-pros-and-cons-of-motorcycle-helmets-in-l-a-9225825/rticle” http://mesrianilaw.blog.ca/2010/08/23/the-pros-and-cons-of-motorcycle-helmets-in-l-a-9225825/rticle

Foss, Robert, and Beirness, Douglass. Bicycle Helmet Use in British Columbia: Effects of the Helmet Use Law. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina. 2000