Motorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet , officially a safety helmet , colloquially called a crash helmet , is part of the protective clothing for motorcyclists and protects their head from life-threatening injuries in the event of a traffic accident . Wearing a protective helmet is a legal requirement for motorcyclists in most countries.
background
A motorcyclist is exposed to increased dangers compared to motorists because
- a motorcycle has no crumple zone ,
- if there is poor grip (wetness, dirt) there is an increased risk of falling and poorer braking performance,
- his speed is easily underestimated by other road users,
- he has a bigger blind spot than a driver,
- at speeds above approx. 30 km / h he is less able to avoid obstacles than a car driver.
For these reasons, motorized two-wheelers usually wear protective helmets. According to a study in traffic accidents, they reduce the rate of traumatic brain injuries to motorcyclists by around 70% and mortality by around 40%.
Regulations
Wearing a protective helmet is a legal requirement for motorcyclists in most countries. In most European countries, this also applies to drivers of mopeds and mopeds .
Specifically, according to Section 21a (2) of the StVO , drivers and passengers of motorcycles or open three-wheeled or multi-wheeled vehicles with a design-related top speed of over 20 km / h must wear a suitable protective helmet while driving. This does not apply if prescribed seat belts are on. Exceptions such as B. for the scooter BMW C1 , result from the 8th exception regulation to the road traffic regulations.
Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1976 (according to DIN 4848), in the former GDR also since 1976 (according to StVO). In 1980 a fine was introduced for trips without a hard hat (for driver and pillion passenger). On January 1, 1990, the previous DIN 4848 was replaced by the ECE-22 standard. This regulation was designed through two exception regulations so that helmets that have not been tested according to ECE are also permitted in the Federal Republic as long as they are suitable as protective helmets due to their design.
construction
Types
- Face helmets have a solid chin and a closable visor. Due to their construction, they offer the best protection with minimal weight and are therefore also used in motorcycle racing . Modern full-face helmets usually weigh less than 1.5 kg. The chin strap of the helmet is often closed with a so-called double-D , but numerous quick-release fasteners are also used.
- Flip-up helmets are a variation of the full-face helmet in which the fixed chin part can be folded up. The protective effect is generally considered to be somewhat lower compared to full-face helmets, and the weight is slightly increased. Flip-up helmets make it easier to remove the helmet after an accident, they are also particularly recommended for those who wear glasses and meet the current helmet standards.
- Motocross helmets are now full-face helmets with a greater distance from the chin, have a visor attached to the helmet and are well ventilated. They do not have a visor, but arewornwith cross goggles .
- Enduro helmets are full-face helmets with the characteristics of motocross helmets, which, however, unlike these, are not geared towards sports use, but rather touring suitability , which means, in addition to a smaller and therefore less wind-prone umbrella (usually removable), adjustable ventilation and the optionto drivethem with either a visor or cross goggles .
- Half-shell helmets , also known as jet helmets , do not have a fixed chin section. There are versions with a built-in visor or with a sun visor, but also half-shells with a deeply drawn visor and sides that are drawn a little further forward, which are generally referred to as 3/4 helmets. Half-shell helmets must protect the forehead, ears and neck in order to comply with the European standard ECE 22-05. The so-called braincaps , the helmet shell of which only protects the area above the ears and neck, do not meet this requirement and are therefore sometimes not recognized as protective helmets within the meaning of the statutory provisions. Half-shell helmets and open face helmets are particularly popular with drivers of classic motorcycles, in order to illustrate their identification with the zeitgeist of the time.
- Multi- helmets are helmets that can be modified, usually with the ability to remove the chin section, so that they can be used either as a full-face helmet or a jet helmet.
Materials used
The helmet shells are roughly divided into two different groups of materials ( plastics ):
- Thermoplastics : (e.g. ABS , polycarbonate , polyamide ) These plastics are easy to shape when exposed to heat and are mostly manufactured using an injection molding process. The advantage of these materials is that they are easy to manufacture in large quantities and are therefore inexpensive. The disadvantage is the rapid aging of the helmet shell in the unpainted state, especially due to ultraviolet radiation , which makes it necessary to replace unpainted helmets relatively quickly. Nowadays, however, ABS and polycarbonate helmets are usually painted.
- Duroplastics and composite materials ( plastic reinforced with glass (GRP), carbon (“carbon”), aramid or polyethylene fibers). These composite plastics can only be produced using the laminate process, which is a complex process. They are brittle and not easily malleable, but stiff and break-proof . As a result, these helmets are very stable, lighter and comparatively expensive with the same protective effect, but here too the price level has fallen significantly in recent years. In racing, they are used exclusively because of their good protective properties. Thermosets age more slowly, which benefits life expectancy.
The energy-absorbing material inside the helmet usually consists of foamed polystyrene .
Visors
The visors of motorcycle helmets are usually made of polycarbonate . This transparent plastic is impact-resistant and does not splinter. It is also insensitive to UV radiation from the sun. In contrast to Plexiglas, for example, polycarbonate does not become brittle when it dries out. Many visors these days are scratch resistant, i. That is, they are covered with a tough clear coat. However, this does not tolerate polish or aggressive cleaning agents.
Full-face helmet visors tend to fog up (especially when it rains), which is why there is often a notch position in which on the one hand the visor is almost closed and hardly any water can penetrate, but on the other hand fresh air prevents fogging. Another possibility are special anti-fogging coatings applied ex works, which are, however, sensitive. Other manufacturers offer additional inner visors to prevent fogging. Commercially available anti-fogging agents, which can be applied afterwards, are also used. Other accessories, such as breath deflectors that direct the exhaled air downwards, can also reduce fogging.
There are different types of visors:
- Clear visors : The most common type of visors, they are the standard for common helmet types. You need an E-mark for road traffic.
- Mirrored and tinted visors : Mirrored and tinted visors are available in different colors and degrees of tint, they have the advantage of weakening sunlight and thus preventing the motorcyclist from being dazzled. Tinted visors must also have an E-mark for road traffic and may only be used in daylight under good weather conditions. Use at night is forbidden and also dangerous because visibility is severely restricted. If this prohibition is disregarded, legal consequences and, in the event of an accident, recourse claims by the insurance company can be expected.
- Anti-fog visors ( Pinlock visor ): Here a smaller visor is attached to the main visor using plastic pins or an adhesive connection. The thin insulating layer of air that is created prevents the visor from fogging up. Disadvantages, however, are that the smaller inner visor cannot prevent the edge area of the main visor from fogging up and that the peripheral edge and the fastenings in the field of vision can disturb or irritate the driver.
- Additional sun visors : helmets are now being offered by various manufacturers which, in addition to the clear visor, have an additionally attached, tinted visor that can be operated while driving. This is either attached inside as a second visor close to the eyes and can be operated from the outside using a switch, or it is a smaller visor which is attached to the outside over the clear visor and can be folded down if necessary. Since these can be operated while driving, the motorcyclist can react to changed lighting conditions while driving.
- Plug-in glare protection : This is a comparatively narrow, multi-layer plastic part with a light filter film, which is inserted between the inner and outer shell of the helmet. In the event of sudden glare, the driver reflexively lowers his head and looks through the tinted glare protection. The hands remain on the handlebars and do not need to operate levers or the like. The glare protection fits most helmets without a swiveling sun visor. When sitting upright, the eyes remain relaxed in the shadows cast by the sun visor. The helmet retains the ECE approval and can also be driven in the dark.
- Heated visors : There are also heated visors in which fine wires generate heat and thus permanently prevent fogging. The visor is connected to an on-board socket with a spiral cable and tear-off plug. With a heated visor you have an unimpaired view in cold and wet conditions with the visor completely closed. However, these visors are only available for a few helmets.
Function and handling
Modern helmets are designed in such a way that they are not affected by force, e.g. B. a blow to convert this into deformation energy. The decisive factor is not so much the material of the outer shell, but more the nature of the inner padding (usually Styrofoam foam) that sits between the outer shell and the inner lining. This layer is the only compressible part of the helmet, it takes over the actual cushioning in the event of an impact. In the event of an impact, the helmet shell distributes the forces that occur over the largest possible area and is elastically deformed in the process; then it returns to its original form. In contrast, the styrofoam layer undergoes plastic , i.e. permanent deformation.
Due to this permanent deformation, the helmet can no longer protect the head through damping. We therefore recommend that you stop using a helmet after an accident or send it to the manufacturer for inspection, even if only slight or no damage is visible.
Without a chinstrap closed, the helmet does not provide adequate protection, as it can come off the head in the event of an accident. A damaged helmet (dents, cracks or holes in the outer shell, after strong compressive or tensile forces, even after falls from a low height) may offer reduced protection. Flip-up helmets are generally only allowed to be used when they are closed; driving with the chin section up is only permitted for helmets in which the chin section can be pushed completely behind the helmet and which also have an open face helmet test.
Helmet removal after an accident
The widespread assumption that first aiders are generally not allowed or should not remove the helmet from unconscious and / or injured motorcyclists is wrong. Breathing can only be controlled and any necessary emergency life-saving measures can only be used if the helmet has been removed. However, attention should be paid to stabilizing the cervical spine. It is also advisable to take off the helmet for unconscious patients, if they have not already done so themselves, as only then can one react immediately to a possibly changing state of consciousness or further complications (shortness of breath, vomiting, etc.).
The helmets have red markings so that first responders can see where the helmet can be opened. Modern full-face helmets often have two red tabs at the helmet entry, with which the helmet lining can be partially removed by the first aider in order to simplify the helmet removal.
Safety standards
The current ECE standard 22/05 for helmets defines the following safety criteria for testing:
- Size and shape of the damping shell,
- chemical resistance of the outer shell,
- Shock absorption values at individual points through the drop test,
- Abrasion test especially with the small sizes,
- Resilience of the chin strap and its protection
- Load capacity of the chinstrap fastener,
- Size of the field of view,
- Penetration resistance of the visor, tint of the visor.
When testing according to ECE 22/05, the following also apply:
- Reduction of the currently valid limit values for head deceleration and HIC (Head Injury Criterion) by 10%. The collision speed between the head and the impact object is set higher, creating a higher safety reserve,
- Chin rest, test of the chin part cushioning,
- Measurement of the rotational acceleration (outer shell),
- Visor tint, up to 50% tint: only daytime use with mandatory labeling,
- the ECE label must be sewn over with transparent film,
- Chin strap securing as before, but not for TRIAL helmets
Various other standards and testing institutions are in use internationally, e. B .:
- ACU (Auto-Cycle Union), UK
- AS / NZS 1698 (“joint Australian / New Zealand Standard”), Australia and New Zealand
- BSI 6658 ( British Standards Institution ), Great Britain
- CMVSS (Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), Canada
- CRASH (Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets), Australia
- CSA CAN3-D230-M85 (expiring, Canadian Standards Association ), Canada
- DOT FMVSS Nº. 218 ( Department of Transportation ), USA
- GOST R 41.22-2001 (ГОСТ Р 41.22-2001, based on ECE 22.05), Russia
- ICC (Import Commodity Clearance), Philippines
- IS 4151 (Indian Standard), India
- JIS T 8133: 2000 ( Japanese Industrial Standards ), Japan
- NBR 7471 (Norma Brasileira), Brazil
- SHARP (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Program), Great Britain
- Snell M2005 & M2010 (Snell Memorial Foundation), USA
- SNI (Standar Nasional Indonesia), Indonesia
- TIS 369-2557 (2014) (Thai Industrial Standards Institute), Thailand
- TCVN 5756: 2001 ("Tiêu chuẩn Việt Nam", Institute: QUATEST 3), Vietnam
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ BC Liu, R. Ivers, R. Norton, S. Boufous, S. Blows, SK Lo: Helmets for preventing injury in motorcycle riders. In: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (1), Jan 23, 2008, p. CD004333. Review. PMID 18254047
- ↑ ifz - Statement on the subject of “Obligation to wear helmets for motorized two-wheelers” ( memento of the original from October 26, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed on October 26, 2016
- ↑ ECE mandatory for motorcycle helmets in Germany? Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Motorrad Online: Multi helmets put to the test. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
- ↑ a b Red Cross tips: first aid in motorcycle accidents - the helmet must be removed if you are unconscious. April 10, 2009, on the website of the Austrian Red Cross. (last accessed on April 27, 2010)
- ↑ Malteser Hilfsdienst : First aid manual. Dorling Kindersley, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8310-1008-0 , p. 39.
- ↑ standards.org.au ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ crash.org.au
- ↑ Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT)
- ↑ Thailand Automotive Institute (accessed October 30, 2015, in English)
- ↑ quatest3.com.vn ( Memento of the original from November 25, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
