Helmets Is full helmet smart choice in case of an accident?

SMSW said:
A corollary question might be 'why wear full gear when it makes the EMT's job (or doctor's job) that much more difficult to get to me after an accident?'. These guys not only have training, but they have tools (sharp scissors, etc.) that will make short work of jammed zippers, armor, etc.
Click to expand...

Last time I got picked up by an ambulance... er... only time... while riding and crashing the EMT's did a heck of an outstanding job to remove my protective gear (leather) without damaging a thing. I was just waiting for the nice sharp and powerful scissors to go right up my sleeve and cut the leather out of the way. But nope.. they took the care and time to get my jacket partly off me so they could measure bp and start an IV. It wasn't an easy effort and I am very happy they did (since that jacket is no longer made). The ER got the pant's off in one piece too.

I asked them about it later and they said it was simple, the jacket is apparently a good one, it did it's job and made their job ultimately easier. It had some scuffs but no holes or tears, so very little bandage work was needed to be done by the EMT's to me, that meant no scrubbing the back of the rig from all the blood that would be leaking out. They know if they cut it off it is destroyed, and they are not cheap. In the following weeks I may go for another ride and I might not have the money to buy another jacket. So if they can get it off in one piece they know I will be wearing it the next time I am out and might need their services... and then hopefully they won't have to scrub my blood off of anything, again.
 
rulbe said:
My wife is an RN and teaches an Accident Scene Management course. The course teaches EMT's and riders how to handle accidents and when to not remove or remove a helmet. We recommend everyone take the course! You can visit there web site to find someone near you to take to course. You won't regret it! Their web site is http://roadguardians.org well worth a look!
Click to expand...

When is your favorite lead instructor teaching a class? :)

T_C great idea, I just cut the d-rings and chucked them.

OP,
As mentioned they're trained on spine immobilization and if/how to remove a helmet. The full face just means you have a whole head after they remove the helmet. If you had a REALLY bad day it's not gonna slow em down in the hospital.
 
While there is no debating the superior protection of a full face over a 3/4 or half helmet, there are those that choose to enjoy their ride with more "facial freedom" regardless of the risk involved. Just riding these machines poses great risk, but we don't stop doing that, do we? For those that want more air in the face, besides the modular flip up models, there is also an excellent 3/4 made by Arai called the CT-Z, which does offer a much larger chin protection area than a standard 3/4.
 
It is with great sadness that I offer the following. My very close friend and pillion rider lost her son (42yrs old) on Tuesday in a motorcycle crash. He was not wearing a full face helmet. While it is not known what caused the accident, his bike ended up off the road and he was ejected into a telephone pole guide wire. He had severe facial injuries. He was alive after the accident, but died while EMT's worked on him. Would he have survived if he'd worn a full face helmet? Maybe, but also unknown.
 
I chose a Z1R full-face when I started riding because tests showed it resulted in lowest brain acceleration. It sacrificed itself in a 70mph lowside from braking over an unseen rumble strip. No facial or head injuries.

The ST1300 started up after key-off reset of the tilt sensor, drove out of the weeds, then another 170 miles back home. Had to replace sidestand, rear brake pedal and one engine guard cover. And a new Z1R helmet.

The avatar pic is post-crash.
 
I was an EMT for many years and sometimes rode my motorcycle to re certification classes. Guess who was the helmet change dummy?
 
In most instances, unless there is obvious substantial bleeding from inside the helmet (which is not likely unless it was completely penetrated), EMTs will just leave the helmet in place and tape the helmet to the backboard. It's easier to secure the helmet to the backboard than it is to block and strap the head down. Once at the ER, it's simple to cut a helmet off with a vibratory cast saw. Split the shell in half and it basically falls off the EPS liner. You can break up the EPS easily by hand.

I used to ride (in the 90s on a tour bike) with a 3/4 helmet (a Bell, the only one with a Snell rating at that time). Don't go one the road without a full face helmet anymore. Check that diagram with all the lateral and lower frontal impact points. Friend's wife (fortunately wearing a FF helmet), crashed her PC800 and landed square on the front of her helmet, face-first, into the pavement, and then into gravel. She still has the helmet I think. Looks like somebody took to it with a belt sander with 32-grit paper and a 2# engineers hammer. Completely trashed. She got a good bruise on her chin and one cheek - that's it. BTW, the next day is when I ordered my first full-face helmet.
 
A guy on a Harley dresser barrel rolled his bike in front of me 25 or so yrs. ago. He had on good gear as far as jacket, gloves, boots etc., except for the little half-brain lid (stylish, dont'cha know...). His face was mashed in from the nose down. I mean MASHED, like hamburger where his lower jaw was supposed to be. I'll always believe a full face lid would have prevented such a serious injury.

Good Ridin'
slmjim
 
slmjim said:
His face was mashed in from the nose down.
Click to expand...

When I started riding in 1998, I was introduced to a small, independent accessory shop in town that was run by a nice fellow in his 60s and his Jack Russell terrier, Higgins. That's where I bought my first gear, which included a Shoei RF-800.

I knew from square one that I wanted a full-face helmet, but in approving of my choice, he said something that's stuck with me all of this time:

"There aren't many major facial injuries that are fatal, but most of them will make the rest of your life unpleasant."​

--Mark
 
rulbe said:
My wife is an RN and teaches an Accident Scene Management course. The course teaches EMT's and riders how to handle accidents and when to not remove or remove a helmet. We recommend everyone take the course! You can visit there web site to find someone near you to take to course. You won't regret it! Their web site is http://roadguardians.org well worth a look!
Click to expand...

Exactly, another good learning resource is my mate Rick Wallace in Seattle http://crashscenesafety.com/
 
OK, this question may have already been answered in this thread and I just didn't see it, but I would be curious to know how a modular helmet ranks vs. a full face helmet in terms of its effectiveness in minimizing facial/head injuries in the event of a crash. It seems to me that a FF helmet would be a better choice, but that's just my uninformed gut feeling.
 
Don B said:
I would be curious to know how a modular helmet ranks vs. a full face helmet in terms of its effectiveness in minimizing facial/head injuries in the event of a crash
Click to expand...
You probably need to look at the Sharp's Rating for the helmets. They perform various tests on all types of helmets and assess (as far as a test can) their survivability.

Interestingly only 5 Modular receive the Five Star Rating but 45 Full Face helmets receive the Five Star Rating. So there's your answer.

Sharp only test Modular and Full Face helmets.

SHARP is the only assessment of helmet performance that results in a safety rating.

Once a helmet has been subjected to our rigorous testing process, we award it a SHARP rating of between 1 and 5 stars.

A 5-star helmet offers good levels of protection right around the helmet. That’s not to say a lower rated helmet won’t protect you. Regardless of its SHARP rating, every helmet on sale in the UK must meet at least one regulatory standard, ensuring it offers at least a minimum level of protection.

Our tests have shown that not all helmets offer the same level of impact protection. Individually, we can all judge the price, extra features and build quality of a helmet. SHARP offers you independent advice on that often hidden property of a motorcycle helmet - how well it can protect you in the event of a crash.

During testing we’ve found differences in performance of as much as 70% between high and low scoring helmets. That’s why the SHARP scheme is so important. Our independent advice can help to ensure you choose a helmet that offers the best protection possible.

Remember, fit comes first. The secret is finding several helmets that fit you best, and then selecting the helmet with the highest SHARP rating.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
JQL said:
Interestingly only 5 Modular receive the Five Star Rating but 45 Full Face helmets receive the Five Star Rating. So there's your answer.
Click to expand...

Fun with numbers...
Not really an answer.

Maybe they only tested 10 modular and 200 full face.
Woulds like to see the number of times the modular mechanism failed.. as opposed to the interior padding.
 
JQL said:
Interestingly only 5 Modular receive the Five Star Rating but 45 Full Face helmets receive the Five Star Rating. So there's your answer.
Click to expand...

Fun with numbers...
Not really an answer.

Maybe they only tested 10 modular and 200 full face.
Woulds like to see the number of times the modular mechanism failed.. as opposed to the interior padding.
 
JQL said:
You probably need to look at the Sharp's Rating for the helmets. They perform various tests on all types of helmets and assess (as far as a test can) their survivability.

Interestingly only 5 Modular receive the Five Star Rating but 45 Full Face helmets receive the Five Star Rating. So there's your answer.

Sharp only test Modular and Full Face helmets.
Click to expand...

The SHARP standards are a great tool (I was on a Ministry Advisory Board 12 years ago that made recommendations that gave momentum to that movement),and really brings reality to "do you really get what you pay for?". Many models that are a fraction of the price of those perceived to be top shelf options, test better, and many of those aren't available in your market here in the US. But... please know that using it as a comparative tool in the US it is only partially complete, as the European build standards are different, as is the construction of products bearing the same model name, in different international markets. Some (very few) companies will build to a standard that works for all markets, some (most) will build specifically to the markets if there is money to be saved by doing so. If you don't believe me, ask the manufacturers directly.
 
T_C said:
Fun with numbers...
Not really an answer.

Maybe they only tested 10 modular and 200 full face.
Woulds like to see the number of times the modular mechanism failed.. as opposed to the interior padding.
Click to expand...

The current testing results that are openly available includes 80 modular (system) models, which include latch failure rates.
 
Last edited:
Looks like I'm doomed if I ever crash again - none of the helmets I've ever had in the past 40 years (including the two I have now) even made the list,,,
 
My very expensive Schuberth only rates 3 stars :eek:


Having said that, I'll buy another because, for me, the fit is perfect and that's the first thing you should check.
 
My comment would be this: although I slide 150 feet on my back after being rear ended and the back of my full face helmet is trash, can't even imagine if I had an open face on and would have slid the other way, face down? Dead I'm sure or no face left!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom