The development of motorcycle helmets and other safety gear
Samantha Thompson, paralegal at Minster Law, talks about the development of motorcycle helmets and other safety gear for bikers.
Here at Minster Law, we are always concerned about the safety of motorcyclists and are keen to keep up with the developments of motorcycle helmets and other safety gear. When riding a motorcycle, it is important to be as protected as possible. We are keen to offer advice to our clients about motorcycle technology innovations should they choose to return to biking after an accident.
Helmets
Helmets are paramount in rider safety. The development of helmets has now seen technology such as built-in GPS systems, integrated speakers and headphones, rear-view systems and in some cases, they can even link up to smartphones with the use of voice commands for different apps. This technology is still rather fresh to the market but offer additional protection to riders as they can focus on the road.
Protective motorcycle clothing
Although there is no law about wearing other protective motorcycle clothing, it could obviously save riders’ lives if they were to be involved in a collision.
Motorcycle clothing manufacturers are implementing safety features to provide greater protection to riders. Some motorcycle clothing contains sensors which can detect when a motorcycle makes impact and can deploy airbags to protect the body and organs.
Motorcycle gloves are also being developed to contain Bluetooth technology to allow riders to control smartphones and things such as GPS functions. The material used to make motorcycle gloves is also being developed to offer protection against the cold and increased ventilation on hot days.
Motorcycle boots offer varying degrees of protection. Some offer weather shielding, some offer greater movement / restriction, but it is important to ensure they fit correctly and are comfortable. Motorcycle boots should offer well-rounded protection to the entire lower leg to minimise the damage to lower limbs in the unfortunate event of an accident.
With the amount of motorcycle safety equipment currently on the market, it is easy to become a confusing process when looking to make the right purchase. Choosing comfort over style seems to be the main message made by manufacturers. At Minster Law, we support the general message of the manufacturers and making the right purchase could make all the difference when it comes to ride safety.
