Motorcycle helmet

In 1935, the legendary Lawrence of Arabia , a British Army lieutenant colonel who served for more than 20 years in reconnaissance in the Middle East , aviation and armored forces, retired and settled in his homeland in Dorset . Lawrence loved speed and was an experienced motorcyclist; he owned (at various times) eight Brow Superior motorcycles. On May 13, 1935, Lawrence drove along a country road near his home on the Brow Superior SS100 motorcycle ( Eng. Brough Superior SS100 ). There was no helmet on it. Suddenly, two children appeared on the road on bicycles. Trying to avoid a collision with them, Lawrence made a sharp maneuver, lost control and fell, injuring his head. Six days later, Thomas Lawrence died without regaining consciousness.

The tragedy made a great impression on one of the doctors who tried to save Lawrence's life - the young neurosurgeon Hugh Cairns . Cairns undertook an extensive multi-year study, analyzing 2279 deaths of motorcyclists. The results of Cairns' scientific work, published in several articles in the British Medical Journal from 1941 to 1946, played an important role in the development and implementation of motorcycle helmets ^[1] .

In the early 1950s, the British Institute of Standards on the instructions of the Ministry of Transport of Great Britain for the first time in the world formulated a set of requirements and test methods that helmets must meet ^{[2] [3]} .

In 1953, Charles F. Lombard , a professor at the University of Southern California, first patented a helmet with a modern design: with a rigid outer shell and shock absorbing internal part ^[4] . The development of Lombard was originally intended for military aviation, but its patent also covered other areas of application, including the protection of the heads of motorcyclists.

At the state level, the obligation of motorcyclists to use a helmet was first legalized in Australia , from January 1, 1961 ^[5] . Australia still retains leadership in this area: the modern Australian-New Zealand standard AS / NZS 1698: 2006 contains the most stringent (from state) requirements for motorcycle helmets.

In Russia, the use of a protective helmet when riding motorbikes and scooters became mandatory for the first time in 1967 , after the adoption of Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR No. 1092 of November 29 "On improving traffic safety in cities, other settlements and on highways" ^[6] .

According to statistics from the UK Department of Transportation ^[7] , in 2005 ^[8] :

• motorcyclists accounted for 1% of the number of road users, but 19% of all those killed on the roads;
• 80% of deaths of motorcyclists are associated with head injuries ^[9] ;
• 70% of all serious injuries sustained by motorcyclists in accidents were head injuries.

Helmets consist of two main parts: a solid outer shell (or “shell”), and an elastic inner filling. The outdoor is responsible for strength and appearance. Internal provides shock absorption and ride comfort.

For the manufacture of outer shells, two types of materials are usually used: composite , such as fiberglass , carbon fiber (carbon), or thermoplastics . With equal mechanical strength, composite shells can reduce the weight of the helmet due to the smaller thickness of the protective layer, helmets made of thermoplastics are heavier. Helmets made of injection molded plastic are cheaper. Helmets with composite shells are more expensive.

The base of the soft interior upholstery is a polystyrene hood. It is the thickness of polystyrene that determines the size of the helmet . Cloth, foam rubber seals, straps, fasteners are added to the shell. In modern helmets, the fabric backing can be removed and washed.

A protective strap keeps the helmet from slipping off in the event of a collision. There are two kinds of strap fasteners: a simple combination of two brackets and “quick” ones. Conventional braces are used on racing helmets , while Japanese company Arai even patented such a “regular” clasp.

Windscreens in helmets (visors) are standard (transparent plastic, sometimes colored) and improved (hardened front layer from scratches, anti-fog, anti-reflective, drop-removing spraying, tinted).

The helmet design is calculated by the manufacturer to protect the human head during one accident. From this point of view, a helmet as a protective device in its life is used from 2 to 4 milliseconds . After an accident or a fall from a great height, the helmet can no longer be used for its intended purpose and must be replaced .

At the same time, a good-quality helmet is a fairly durable product and a single accidental fall of an empty helmet , for example, from a table height to the floor (or from a saddle to asphalt ) usually does not damage it. To ensure that the helmet is suitable after a fall, it must be carefully checked. As a rule, the manufacturer can provide a service or helmet inspection instruction.

For reasons of wear and natural aging of helmet materials , as well as technological progress that is constantly improving the protective properties of new developments, it is recommended that the helmet be replaced periodically with a new one approximately every five years ^[10] .

The design of helmets in most cases is determined by the conditions of use of the motorcycle.

• Integral ( full face , full face) is a helmet with integrated chin protection that completely covers the rider’s head. Includes hinged visor (safety glass). Some helmet models of this design are sometimes criticized for lack of ventilation. At the same time, the construction of the helmet provides the best protection, since in 35% of all accidents the main blow falls on the rider’s chin ^[11] .

• Modular ( English flip-up ) - a closed helmet with a high degree of protection. As in the integral, the head is completely protected. You can flip up not only the visor, but also the entire chin arch of the helmet. It solves such an integral problem as the inability to drink (smoke) without removing the helmet. Disadvantages: high price, the largest weight among all types of helmets, a higher level of aerodynamic noise compared to the integral . On some models, cases of tipping the chin arch at the time of impact were noted.

• Cross - country - a type of helmet-integral for cross-country racing with a high degree of protection. The chin arch is reinforced and pushed forward to facilitate breathing. To protect your face from stones flying from under the wheels, a long visor is installed. There is no visor, the helmet is used only in conjunction with safety glasses. Due to its complex shape, at high speeds, the helmet transfers greater aerodynamic pressure on the head of a motorcyclist compared to the integral .

• Open - a helmet without a chin arch with a low degree of protection (roughly, one third less than the integrals ). The visor may be present or absent. Some models include a sun visor. Advantages: low cost, low weight, no problems with airflow and visibility. Designed for riding at low speed - on scooters, small cubic motorcycles, choppers - and / or in hot weather. Open helmets are also divided into two types: “3/4” - covering three quarters of the head and “half” - the easiest type of helmet.

• Helmet is the historical ancestor of helmets. Materials: leather, metal, plastic. The degree of protection is minimal. It is currently used as an element of shocking some bikers , or as a formal element of equipment (the legislation of the Russian Federation does not classify helmets, therefore riding in a helmet is interpreted as complying with traffic rules , and, for example, in a bandana as their violation, subject to administrative punishment in the form of a fine under the Code of Administrative Offenses RF ).
• Motard is a type of helmet-integral for riding mainly on impassable roads with a high degree of protection. Almost completely identical to a cross helmet, but unlike it has a visor.

The manufacture of safety helmets is a complex process that forces the manufacturer to incur significant costs for research, testing and technology. Therefore, in the General case, the level of safety of the helmet affects its cost.

At the same time, the design and manufacture of comfortable, reliable and practical helmets also comes at a price. Therefore, the cost of the helmet also depends on its comfort, weight, ventilation, coloring, design, brand recognition, lot sizes, shipping costs, marketing policies and so on.

As a result, there is no direct relationship between the cost of a helmet and the level of protection ^[12] .

For example, as of November 2009 , none of the helmets of the Shoei premium brand had a 5-star SHARP safety rating ^[13] , despite the fact that the inexpensive (price less than 4000 rubles) helmet of the LZ6 economy brand Lazer received the highest possible assessment of the level of protection ^[14] .

To determine the degree of protection planned for the purchase of a helmet, you should refer to the results of its certification and independent testing .

All helmets manufactured in the world must meet strict standards. Current Russian standard: GOST 41.22-2001 “Uniform provisions concerning the approval of safety helmets and their visors for drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds”.

The marking of helmets certified in Europe includes the letter E and the number inside the circle, applied by the manufacturers on the inside of the helmet. Numbers of the countries where the helmet was tested:

• E1 Germany
• E2 France
• E3 Italy
• E4 Netherlands
• E5 Sweden
• E6 Belgium
• E7 Hungary
• E8 Czech Republic
• E9 Spain
• E10 Yugoslavia , then Serbia
• E11 England
• E12 Australia
• E13 Luxembourg
• E14 Switzerland
• E16 Norway
• E17 Finland
• E18 Denmark
• E19 Romania
• E20 Poland
• E21 Portugal
• E22 Russia
• E23 Greece
• E25 Croatia
• E26 Slovenia
• E27 Slovakia
• E28 Belarus
• E29 Estonia
• E30 Ukraine
• E31 Bosnia and Herzegovina
• E37 Turkey

US-certified helmets include the “DOT” label on the outside of the head of the helmet.

• The list of helmets tested for compliance with the FMVSS 218 (DOT) standard
• List of helmets rated SHARP
• List of Helmets Tested for Compliance with the Snell M2010 Standard
• List of helmets tested for compliance with the previous edition of the Snell standard (M2005 )

•   Wikimedia Commons has media related to Motorcycle Helmets
• The list of helmets tested for compliance with the FMVSS 218 (DOT) standard
• List of helmets rated SHARP
• List of Helmets Tested for Compliance with the Snell M2010 Standard
• List of helmets tested for compliance with the previous edition of the Snell standard (M2005 )