Most motorcycle crashes result in head injuries which is not new these days. Helmets offer somewhat protection against brain injury in such cases, but many fatalities still occur with wearing one. With reality in mind, sometimes we ride without helmets for various reasons. But, Can you survive motorcycle head injuries with no helmet if you ever crash?
A motorcyclist is always facing a more significant risk of suffering head injuries than drivers of passenger vehicles. The impact can be severe in accidents, requiring extensive treatment, including hospitalization and brain injuries.
In this article, you will find out if you can survive a crash without a helmet, will you be eligible for compensation or insurance over brain injury claims, and how to prevent brain injuries while riding motorcycles.
Motorcycle Helmets And Brain Injury
For most states and local laws, motorcycle helmets are mandatory. This law is so strict that the police charge unhelmeted riders in most places. However, very few motorcyclists understand the unbiased necessity of motorcycle helmets correctly.
Motorcycle safety helmets and brain injuries are an ideal reference for anyone who wears an open-face or full-face helmet and wants to avoid damages in case of an accident. Still, have you wondered why fatalities have increased across the county with even so massive social awareness about helmet use? There are indeed many pros and cons to using a motorcycle helmet. But in the end, understanding how it works to save your brain and life really matter a lot.
Yet, no one knew why fatal accidents frequently happen with helmet wearers. The answer is simple – An adequately fitted motorcycle helmet does not guarantee absolute protection of your head in a crash!
Many Fatalities Are Still Occurring With Helmets on
Helmets do indeed protect against any minor impact. But in more severe cases, even iron helmets can’t help you!
Some researchers at The University of Johns Hopkins showed that a rider who has suffered a severe brain injury might have more chance of dying than if they were not wearing a helmet. It makes sense when we consider that even though helmets may prevent you from suffering a severe head injury, there is no guarantee that you will be safe from damage such as broken bones or internal bleeding.
A helmet can’t completely protect you from head injuries. The impact of a high-speed crash may cause brain injury and a concussion, even if you are wearing a helmet. However, high-quality helmets can reduce force by up to 42%. You still have a 58% chance of dying in an accident, so many fatalities are still unavoidable. Choosing a helmet that fits your head snugly and securely around your ears, cheeks, and mouth so that it doesn’t fly off during an impact is vital.
In some cases, severe head injuries can result in paralysis or death despite helmets. However, the helmet substantially decreases the risk of death or debilitating damages caused by sudden impact.
Next, let’s discuss what kind of injuries you can get with no helmet.
Head Injuries From Not Wearing a Motorcycle Helmet
If you put on a motorcycle helmet, getting a head injury from unexpectedly directly crashing in traffic goes down by about 40%. While in a group ride, such as at bike rallies and races, you can end up crashing unexpectedly with another rider who has not worn one. Suppose these riders have low-quality helmets that fly off their heads through the wind after impact (contradicting the first law of physics). In that case, they will suffer serious head injuries, which could eventually lead to paralysis or death.
The Manchester University and Cardiff University Hospital study says more than 350 rear-end collisions occur every week. In just one week in the U.K., 28 riders sustained head injuries on average. With less than half of all drivers wearing helmets in the U.K., about 35% of them are at risk of receiving an invisible brain injury each year.
Typically, A concussion or skull fracture via a car’s bumper after needless rear-end collisions with motorcyclists and other road users can happen without helmets.
Here are some more facts about Motorcycle Head Injuries No Helmet:
- More than 2,600 Helmet-Related Head or Neck Injuries happen each year.
- Motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of death from crashes with motor vehicles by about 40%. In the case of head injuries, the risk of brain damage is reduced by 20%.
- Riders who do not wear a helmet on a motorcycle are twice as likely to have intracranial hemorrhage and cerebral injury than riders with regular use.
How are Helmets Designed to Reduce Damage to The Brain?
Helmets work in a way to reduce damage to the brain by preventing the head from hitting any solid objects. During a crash, the helmet protects your head from direct impact. The EPS foam layer in the helmet absorbs some of the impact energy, reducing it significantly. The foam does not stop all blows, but it does decrease the amount of force by up to 70%.
It also dissipates heat quickly before it causes further damage to your brain. Some helmets feature an airbag system that fills with CO2 or nitrogen to increase your chances of motorbike crash survival if you suffer a head injury in an accident. The airbag on a motorcycle is an electromagnetic device that inflates during the first 15 milliseconds of impact to stabilize and protect the head.
The outer shell of helmets is rigid enough to withstand a significant impact without allowing too much pressure on the brain. Also, being lightweight is an essential factor. Helmets should also have blinkers that alert other drivers on both sides while viewing everything around you.
That best-possible materials engineering approach has been applied to motorcycle helmets. We are paying the price for developing improved motorcycle helmets in terms that would have been unimaginable when they came new to society.
But as our society has produced better and safer technology increasingly, any innovations imply we must also accept more risk. And we have come to accept that risk in developing better materials and design approaches. We all bear the cost through the reduced chances for survival from a severe head injury.
How to Prevent Brain Injuries Without Wearing Helmets
Wearing a helmet is not a silver bullet. There are some tactics to avoid brain injuries regardless of wearing a helmet. While helmets save lives and reduce injuries, they are not the only option for preventing head injuries. Therefore, we have gathered some must-learn tips to help you out.
While some of these tips seem obvious, you may be surprised how easily they can be forgotten. The most critical point is awareness. If you are new to motorcycles, try to get someone who has the experience to give you some pointers.
However, here are some vital tips that can still help lessen the risk of head injury if you don’t wear a helmet.
Lower Speed
The risk of fatal head injuries increases with the speed of your motorcycle. Wearing a helmet decreases your risk of brain injury because many remain intact during a collision despite being knocked off during an accident. In this case, the more severely a crash happens, the higher the chances of head injuries are.
Riding at faster speeds increases the risk of colliding with other vehicles, objects, or pedestrians. It is crucial to consider the speed rate you travel because collisions are more brutal at higher speeds. In general, When you ride your bike at speeds between 20 and 50 miles per hour, you are best prepared to handle most situations on the road.
Don’t Ride in a Rush.
Avoid steep descents, sharp turns, and heavy braking maneuvers. Overestimation of the distance you can see may be dangerous to your safety. You should use your mirrors frequently on high-speed road sections and switch off the main beam. More expansive motorcycle mirrors allow you to see a wider part of the road in front of you. Even though you don’t put on a helmet, you can expect to survive motorcycle head injuries (n0 helmet).
Using these techniques in combination can help you prevent accidents that may cause brain injuries. Remember, More expansive motorcycle mirrors allow you to see a wider part of the road in front of you.
Watch out For Your Vehicle
There are many crucial reasons why you should be extra vigilant when driving behind a motorcyclist. They can be hard to see, and they are most susceptible to accidents and accidents. Despite the liability shift, it is still your responsibility to care for yourself and others. Some drivers are not serious about the road, so ensure that your eyes are always on the road and do not get distracted when you’re driving.
Ensure that if you are going behind another motorcyclist, they are aware and under control so as not to be hit by other cars or large lorries. Take care when you drive on motorways and around cities. Be cautious, especially if it is downhill at 3/4 acceleration. Ensure that other vehicles are aware and under control, so they don’t hit you.
Avoid Fatigue and Drowsiness
Get up and move around frequently – Repeating the same exercise over a long time without taking breaks when driving may increase the chance of experiencing head or neck injuries. This fact contrasts with research that shows that footbrake and hand brake, often used by riders on hilly or winding roads without traffic limits, are only effective for the neck. You should avoid being behind the wheel after midnight when riding a motorcycle.
Don’t Drink Alcohol and Drive.
Drink slows blood flow to the brain by as much as 50%, so that circulating oxygen levels are permissive to impairment from vascular effects such as dizziness, headache, or motor incoordination. In addition, car accident statistics reveal a higher frequency in people who drive under the influence than those who do not.
Statistics of Motorcycle Head Injuries No Helmet
According to research by the NHTSA, many motorcycle riders continue to die even with helmets. However, some people believe that a helmet can protect you from brain injury as it protects you from death. The truth is that they do not protect you as much as you would think.
Of all accidents involving fatally injured motorcyclists who wore a helmet and those not wearing one, only 22% of deaths occurred to motorists. The remaining 78%, or 85 percent men vs. 15%, were on motorcycles with no helmets involved.
Fatalities Involving Motorcycles
Helmets may prevent as many as 300,000 worldwide deaths annually. Worldwide 260 million adults ride motorcycles; 33 million are in the U.S., where 1.5 million people ride regularly.
An alarming trend in motorcycle-related injuries and death is on the rise. The NHTSA said that motorcycle fatalities increased by 33% between 2008 and 2009. And Sadly, since 2004, they’ve grown by 73%.
We attribute this alarming trend to younger, inexperienced riders who are beginning to increase their numbers on the roadways. The number of licensed motorcyclists nationwide has risen about 13% overall over the last decade.
Bonus: Check the Number One Cause of Motorcycle Crashes in 2022
And it’s no wonder: motorcycles are a thrill to ride and represent a feeling of freedom that appeals strongly to today’s younger generation. On the contrary, at the same time, more and more of them are ending up in hospital emergency rooms. It is because of accidents resulting from lack of experience, improper weight balance, failure to wear helmets while riding—or all three factors combined.
According to studies, motorcyclists comprise a significant percentage of all serious injuries. They account for nearly one-third percent of all fatalities resulting from motor vehicle collisions yet comprise less than 5-6 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S.
As a result, This increase in motorcycle-related injuries is due to multiple factors, including increased use of motorcycles by younger riders and riders with less experience operating bikes.