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Last Updated: Mar 26th, 2006 - 13:41:45 |
To most riders, motorcycle helmets do not fit into their dream accessory. They feel helmets are restrictive and unnecessary and do not add to their aesthetic appeal. But it is important to know why you need to wear a helmet while riding a bike and what it does for you.
Motorcycle helmets act as a protection device for your head. Nearly all motor crashes in which riders do not wear helmets, result in major head injuries. To drive this point further, according to a survey done in the state of California, in 900 crashes, there were 980 head and neck injuries. The major factor was that most riders were not wearing proper headgear.
Canada has made it a mandatory rule for motorbike riders to wear helmets after seeing the way people die in these accidents. But in the USA, in some states, it still remains a choice for the rider – so it is for you to decide what is more precious to you.
Hopefully, now that you are convinced about purchasing a helmet, let us see some of the things that you should keep in mind while buying a motorcycle helmet.
All helmets have an outer shell and an inner shell. The outer shell is meant to protect the head from initial impact and undertake all the abrasions onto it. The inner shell is basically a lining of foam that aims at minimizing the impact of the shock by absorbing it as much as possible. It is also supposed to provide comfort to the rider as well.
In order to ascertain whether your helmet is safe enough for you or not, you must check whether it has the Department of Transportation sticker or not. A globally accepted safety standard for helmets is a sticker by the Snell Memorial Foundation.
Besides these safety stickers, the other important thing is to ensure that the motorcycle helmet of your choice gives you a proper fit. It should not be loose or too tight. You must be comfortable with it, as remember that you will be wearing it for quite some time. There should not be any red marks on your head or face – otherwise the helmet is too tight for you. At the same time, it should not come off your head or it just might fall off in an accident- providing you with no protection.
Also, you must choose between the various types of materials of which motorcycle helmets are made. Heavy helmets are made of fiberglass but it can crack if dropped. Another type of material used is injection-molded plastic. This is cheap and light but requires a lot of care. So think before you decide.
Enjoy the ride!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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