Do helmets save lives for someone riding a motor cycle, bike or motor bike?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
June 26, 2008 3:03pm CST
In some states, it's the law
that one has to wear a helmet while driving
a motor bike or motor cycle.
I think it's supposed to prevent death in the
event of a crash.
Some bikers hate it and refuse to wear
helmets.
And, it's recommended that bike riders
wear helmets or protective gear as well.
But not everyone does it.
It's not that way everywhere,
but I think that it does reduce injuries during
and accident.
What do you think?
8 people like this
27 responses
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
26 Jun 08
I think its important to wear a helmet when your on a motorcycle, I've known a few people thats gotten killed on a motorcycle and they weren't wearing helmets. It's not a law in our state but I think it should be. Like you said, there are some people that would hate to have to wear one, but its important and can save your life. We used to ride a motorcycle and my husband would not let me on if I didn't have my helmet on, he said it would kill him if something happened to me, and I wasn't wearing it. Not to get off the subject, but I'm excited because this makes my 500th post....woohoo!!! Have a good day...
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
27 Jun 08
Hey! Good for you.
Happy 500th post to you.
I can remember when I hit 500,
I did the happy dance of jubilation
for an hour!
Now you can copy/paste.
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
26 Jun 08
At most road speeds if a bike gets into a serious accident ( especially with another vehicle ) all a helmet will do is leave an easily recognized head inside of it.
With no real protection to catch & protect the body the internal damage would be too great to be survivable. Even with the rest of the protective gear the blunt force trama could be lethal. About all that gear would really help is a low speed lay over. Anything beyond that & your a gonner.
With no real protection to catch & protect the body the internal damage would be too great to be survivable. Even with the rest of the protective gear the blunt force trama could be lethal. About all that gear would really help is a low speed lay over. Anything beyond that & your a gonner.1 person likes this
@rantingqueen (495)
• United States
27 Jun 08
There are times when a helmet will prevent a serious injury. A minor motorcycle accident, such as dumping your bike while riding at a low rate of speed will result in some road rash, but your head will just get bumped around a bit. That same accident without a helmet can become deadly.
The arguments I hear most of the time are that a helmet is not going to save the person from a serious injury, so why bother? I disagree. I know what it is like to ride without a helmet, and the great feeling of freedom with the wind in your hair. However, since having kids, I never get on a bike without a helmet. If there is a chance that I will survive and come home to my kids, I'd rather wear the helmet, than feel the wind in my hair.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
27 Jun 08
That's the thing that always bothers me
about people that don't wear helmets.
There is a good chance of survival.
I would wonder why they would cheat
themselves of that.
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
26 Jun 08
While they don't save 100% of lives, they do save lives in caseswhere only the head would be injured. Helmets for bikers and cyclists have prevented a lot of unnecessary injuries.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
26 Jun 08
I believe that! It's not fool proof, but it is something.
And I'm so thankful they have better helmets these days.
A friend of mine used to ride a motorcycle back in the day.
And he wore a police motor cycle helmet.
The kind they used to give to police who ride motorcycles.
And he went over the top of another car.
It wasn't his fault. Total accident.
One day, a car pulled out in front of his motorcycle
from a side road and he couldn't stop or swerve.
When the bike hit the car, he was thrown off and flew twenty feet through the air
until he hit the ground.
He said that he did the break fall thing they teach
you in the military at parachute school.
He slid, on his side and leg, for about another fifty
feet.
It scarred up his leg, though he was wearing jeans.
He didn't get any upper body injuries cause he was
wearing a leather jacket.
Other than that, he was fine.
A fall like that would have killed someone not
wearing a helmet, cause there was massive scratching
to the outside of the helmet. That means his head was
taking some serious knocks during the skid along the highway.
I get chills talking about it and thinking how close he
came to dying.
Scares me to think that others don't take the helmet
issue so seriously.
@yoongkheong (139)
• Singapore
27 Jun 08
Helmets can at the best minimise damage to a certain extent. Seriously, a helmet is hard and during impact, it won't be able to give much cushion to the concussion of the head.
Just like gloves and elbow guards, they are meant to prevent scratches and minor damage. So defensive riding is still important.
@mummymo (23706)
•
30 Jun 08
It definitely does help reduce the chance and severity of many head injuries in accidents - they also help keep neck injuries stable I think. Here you have to wear a helmet whilst on a motorbike and I would never even dream of letting my kids on their bikes without a helmet - no helmet no cycling and that is just a push bike! xxx
@golfproo (1839)
• Canada
27 Jun 08
Hi There,
Wearing a helmet while cycling or motorbiking is the law where I am from. I do think it saves lives and many dire injuries. Of course sometimes an accident is so bad it does not even matter, but it can certainly make a difference in others. I had a bicycle accident once and I split my head open like a melon. If I had been wearing a helmet my head would have hurt a bit, but would not have been damaged to the same extent.
cheers,
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
27 Jun 08
Wearing a helmet is better than not wearing one. It can help keep a person from severe brain damage. We are teaching our daughter the importance of helmet safety. I don't want her to be sorry one day. Individuals who don't wear them may be sorry after the fact.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
29 Aug 08
Where I live, in Canada, the law is that you have to wear a helmet and if caught not wearing one you can get a heavy fine. Why would someone on a motorcycle going who knows how fast, not want to wear one. It is only for their safety. Can you imagine crashing and falling off of the bike without your head protected. I think that the most deaths on motorcycles is because of head injuries and that can be prevented by wearing a helmet. I sure do wear a helnet when I go on one of my friends bikes and won't go for a ride without one.
@DaddyOfTheRose (2934)
• United States
27 Jun 08
Helmets are a good bet for people who would not like to live out the remains of their life as a vegetable.
@Linebacker53 (29)
• United States
23 Dec 09
If your'e going more than about 40 mph that inch of foam on your head can be the difference between some scrapes on your elbows or your brains laying on the street.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
27 Jun 08
In India, the helmet rules keeps coming on and off. We have lots of two wheelers here...and most people do not like wearing a helmet..some for cosmetic reasons and some just find it plain inconvenient. Newspaper articles come out with the pros and cons of wearing a helmet everytime the rule comes into force. It comes into force and then some group of people fight against it...and then it's revoked or people just stop using it till the law comes into force again.
It's just a cycle here...and I don't know what the truth is....and since I don't ride a two wheeler, I don't bother too much about it.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
27 Jun 08
I don’t think so. In my city its compulsory for all motorcyclists to have helmets on and even those pillion riding should have their helmets on. Not only that, the helmets should have a specific branding on them to show their quality and strength. Even then the number of deaths due to motorcycle accidents are hardly any less. Some do get saved, like when the other parts of the body are not affected, the head does get saved due to the helmet but in most cases, the head’s intact while the rest of the body is beyond recognition. I think they should rather introduce those ‘knights in shining armour’ concept
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
27 Jun 08
I have noticed that a lot of states are making it so people riding motocycles don't have to wear a helmet. I would have no issue with that IF my 2 year old didn't have to wear a helmet to ride her big wheel in the driveway!
If you don't have to wear a helmet driving 70 miles an hour down a freeway WHY in the world does my kid have to wear one going .3 seconds a mile in the driveway with NO one around???
Also if you don't wear a helmet have INSURANCE because if your in an accedent its gonna be bad. There is NO protection.
The other thing is if you have to wear a seat belt for protection then why no have to wear a helmet for protection. Its not like there is a seal belt on a motorcycle!!
@munhozmib (3836)
• Sao Paulo, Brazil
27 Jun 08
Hello!
This law is also here, in Brazil. I think that Helmets really do save lifes. After all, it will reduce the impact to the head, which is a vital point in the human body. If it wasn't a protector, it wouldn't be required to use.
Respectfully,
Munhozmib.
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
27 Jun 08
Well, I am still living because i had been wearing the helmet, at the time of accidents..
Yea.. Accidents.. not once but thrice.. i had.. when i was speeding on the bike...
Though two other occasions are not that severe.. on one occasion, two years ago.. i had a terrific fall.. and my head hit the ground with a thud.. and the helmet hit the rock lying on the roadside.. bang.... butterflies were flying inside.. my head..when it happened.. slowly i got up.. though there was minor injuries.. i was alive..
I said to myself.. what would have occured had i not worn the helmet.. Crashing hard on a rock at 80kms speed..
@bunty85696 (23)
• India
27 Jun 08
yes,i think helmets save lifes in most cases and pepole are saved from dying.but,what is the use of this helmets when the people lost their legs\,forelimbs,etc.,in these accidents?There is no scope of living for them.recently i was riding my bike with an helmet and i fell down and i got an injury on mytoes.it is do devere that i can't even wear my shoes at the time of going to college.so i wanna suggest that we have to ride carefully and nothing saves us if we are careless.
