What is the impact on your neck with a helmet on your head in a motorcycle accident?

Answer 1

The impact on your neck is the same as it is without a helmet. There's a common myth out there that "helmets cause neck injuries." Not true: Accidents cause neck injuries. Often, the assumption that helmets cause neck injuries stems from the incorrect belief that helmets "bounce" when they hit something. If you look at the way a helmet works, this doesn't make much sense since it is not so much the hard outer shell that protects your brain, but the foam inside. The outer shell helps prevent objects from penetrating though, but does not protect your brain from moving around inside the skull, which is the primary cause of brain trauma. Rather, the foam inside the helmet compresses as your head hits an object, thus absorbing energy, and slowing your head gradually, rather than having it stop instantaneously. You can simulate this in your own garage using the white stryrofoam that electronics are often packed in (The stiff, white foam that looks like it is made of spherical cells pressed together). Simply by using an object to hit the foam, you'll see that the object does not bounce, but rather causes and indentation in the foam, and that the foam gradually slows the object until it stops. While this is a simple demonstration, and packing foam is nowhere near as sophisticated as the foam inside a helmet, it is a simple demonstration of how helmets work. So, you may ask "Why have we noticed more reports of neck injuries after mandatory helmet laws have been passed?" The answer is quite simple: people who are dead do not complain about their necks hurting. If you are concerned about neck injuries from motorcycle (or other powersports) accidents, look into the "Leatt Brace." It was developed by a South African surgeon (Dr. Chris Leatt) who found that because of helmets, people were surviving crashes they otherwise would not have, only to find they had neck injuries. The Leatt Brace is a stiff plastic cuff which rests on your shoulders upon which your helmet sits. It prevents the head from moving too far up, down, or side-to-side, thereby reducing neck injuries. They have been used in racing for quite some time now, but some smart riders have begun using them on the streets, too. An added benefit some people find is that they experience less neck fatigue and pain on long trips, since the Leatt Brace helps support the head and helmet so your neck muscles don't have to work as hard. Leatt Braces can be purchased for a reasonable sum of money, however you should be aware that at this time, there are few companies which make street riding gear that have collars designed to accommodate the Leatt Brace. One company which does is Motoport, of San Diego, CA. They make excellent riding gear out of Kevlar fabric (the same stuff as bullet proof vests) and will make you a jacket with a Leatt Brace compatible collar. Additionally, the Italian company Dainese, renowned maker of Motorcycle Racing leathers, has also developed an airbag system to protect your neck in the event of a crash. The airbag is worn on your back like a small backpack. Using a sophisticated electronic sensor, the airbag deploys around your neck when the sensors detect you falling. It inflates what could be described as a "donut" around your neck, which, in counjunction with a helmet, prevents your head from moving to far in any direction. It also helps prevent dreaded shoulder and collar bone fractures. Currently, Dainese is producing the wearable airbag for motorcycle racing, but plans on releasing a version for street riding in the year 2010. Keep your eyes open for that -- like the Leatt Brace, it will probably prove to make a major difference in reducing neck injuries associated with motorcycle accidents!