Motorcycle Safety in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Motorcycle Crash Attorneys

Tenn and Tenn, P.A.'s motorcycle accident attorneys encourage you to read this overview of motorcycle safety regulations and suggestions before you climb on the back of a bike. It is important to be familiar with your legal rights. It is just as important that you know how to keep yourself, and your passengers, safe while out enjoying New Hampshire's inviting roadways.

As of this writing, New Hampshire remains one of only three states in America that does not require motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. While the benefits of enacting such laws versus utilizing rider education programs to protect people are often debated, there are many well-respected medical studies and government statistics regarding the protection offered by motorcycle helmets that you shouldn't ignore. These studies of the proper use of motorcycle helmets consistently demonstrate that helmets reduce the risk of brain injury and death following a crash. One study conducted in 2008 showed that higher quality helmets significantly reduced the risk of death by 42 percent and the risk of head injury in general by 69 percent.

A Helmet is Your Most Important Riding Gear

Anyone who rides a motorcycle knows that the most important piece of protective gear is a DOT certified helmet. This fact was made abundantly clear in the Hurt Report from the University of Southern California (USC) researcher Harry Hurt. "Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures.” This research provides clear documentation that helmets save lives by reducing head injuries.

Let's look at what a helmet really does for you. First, it is the best protective gear you can wear while riding a motorcycle. Think of it at the same time you think of your ignition key. You pick up the key, you pick up the helmet. They go together. Helmet use is not a "cure-all" for motorcycle safety, but in a crash a helmet can help protect your brain, your face, and your life. In combination with other protective gear, rider education courses, proper licensing, and public awareness, helmet use is one way of reducing risk of injury.

You hope you never have to use your helmet, just like you hope you won't ever need to use the seat belt in your car. But accidents do happen. We can't predict when or what kind they will be. In any given year, a lot of people make good use of seat belts, and a lot of riders give thanks that they were wearing helmets.

Second, a good helmet makes riding a motorcycle more fun. This is the comfort factor. It cuts down on wind noise roaring by your ears, on wind blasts in your face and eyes, and deflects bugs and other objects that fly through the air. And helmets keep you comfortable when the weather changes, especially when the rain starts to fall. Finally, anyone who has taken a long motorcycle trip knows that helmets help reduce rider fatigue.

Third, wearing a stylistic motorcycle helmet adds to your image. Motorcycle helmets aren’t just for race tracks -- responsible riders who take motorcycling seriously know the true benefits of a helmet.

Wearing a helmet, no matter what the law says, is a reflection of your attitude toward riding and that attitude is plain to see by other riders and non-riders alike. To ride a motorcycle means avoiding foolish risks.

How and why a Helmet Works

Different helmets do different things. There are construction hard hats on construction workers’ heads, football helmets on athletes' heads, and Kevlar pots on military heads. None are interchangeable. Motorcycle helmets are very sophisticated and specialized for the activity. They've been developed carefully and scientifically over the years.

Four basic components of the helmet work in unison to provide protection: an outer shell, an impact-absorbing liner, comfort interior padding, and a good strap or retention system. The outer shell of the helmet is typically constructed of reinforced composites or thermoplastics like polycarbonate. These are strong materials, but they are designed to crunch upon impact with a hard surface. That crunch-action disperses energy from the impact in order to reduce the force of the blow before it reaches your head.

Inside the helmet shell is an impact-absorbing liner, usually made of expanded polystyrene (commonly thought of as Styrofoam). This dense layer is designed to cushion and absorbs the shock of the impact. In other words, as the helmet stops the sudden impact, your head inside keeps on moving and the cushion is there to absorb the impact.

Working together in the event of a crash or sudden blow, the outer shell and the inside liner essentially self-destruct, by dissipating the harmful forces of impact throughout the helmet. Simply put, the more negative impact energy deflected or absorbed by the helmet, the less there is to cause damage to you. Some helmet shells will delaminate upon impact. Others are designed crack or break apart if severely impacted. A cracked helmet may not be a sign of a defective helmet, but rather an indication that it did its job.

The comfort padding is the soft-foam-and-cloth layer that sits next to your head. It helps keep you comfortable and the helmet fitting snugly. In some helmets, this padding can even be taken out for cleaning.

The retention system, or chin strap, is very important. It is the one piece that keeps the helmet on your head in the event of a crash. A strap is connected to each side of the shell. Every time you put the helmet on, do up the straps securely. It only takes a couple of seconds. To ride without the helmet securely strapped on would be as questionable as driving without your seat belt fastened.