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UI Neurosciences Only Iowa, Illinois, Colorado, and New Hampshire are states that do not require motorcycle drivers or riders to wear helmets. Injuries to the head following motorcycle crashes are a common cause of severe injury and mortality.
Albert Fenoy, MD, senior resident and neurosurgeon at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about the importance of wearing a motorcycle helmet:
How does a motorcycle helmet protect the rider's head?
Basically the helmet has two parts. There's the outer, thin, hard part and there's the inner foam liner. The outer part protects against the pointy objects you may encounter, as well protect against abrasions if you're sliding on the road. The inner foam liner's purpose is to crush during an impact, absorb some of that energy, and bring your head to a slow, gentle stop.
Basically, in the mechanism of head injury, there are two components: there's fractures to the skull and injury to the underlying brain. The skull fractures are not nearly as worrisome as brain injuries, which are much more common. These brain injuries result from sudden acceleration-deceleration forces that can disrupt axons (part of the nerve), as well as blood vessels, which can cause a lot of bleeding. These forces can be dissipated by that foam liner if that's part of the helmet.
How fast is too fast when involved in a motorcycle accident without wearing a helmet?
Well, any speed is really too fast when you're not wearing a helmet. I was reading that 50 percent of motorcycle injuries are at really slow speeds; so it really doesn't matter how fast you're going, if you're not wearing a helmet, it's really not good.
What would you say to people who argue against motorcycle helmets, claiming they are too hot or may cause neck injuries ?
I would strongly disagree and I would strongly urge them to wear a helmet because it is proven that it can significantly save lives.
Is there a noticeable difference in the type of injuries you see when someone arrives in the emergency room if they were riding with or without a motorcycle helmet?
Definitely! Yes! The degree of injury is very obvious, When someone does wear a helmet they have a survival injury most of the time as opposed to those people who do not - it's more grim - the injury they suffer.
Has there been a time where you feel, if the person you were treating had been wearing a motorcycle helmet their injuries would have been much less severe?
Definitely! Again, wearing a helmet is very protective, very important.
Do the same rules with regard to helmets apply to motorcycle drivers and their passengers?
In my opinion, yes, it's the same mechanism of injury, if the person falls off, if they're the passenger or the driver, it's the same problem, so they should both be wearing helmets.
In your opinion as a neurosurgeon, can a motorcycle helmet make the difference between life and death when involved in an accident?
Absolutely! Definitely! There are studies out there and just in the states that did adopt the 100 percent helmet requirement laws, their fatalities for motorcycle accidents decreased by about 20-30 percent. So, yes, in my observations, but it's been also proven, that motorcycle helmets do save lives. |
