June 1, 2016

A preliminary study out of the University of Virginia’s Center for Applied Biomechanics highlights one of the current challenges in helmet safety in low- and middle-income countries: the inferior protection afforded by sub-standard motorcycle helmets. In tests of certified and uncertified helmets from a variety of countries, uncertified (substandard) helmets were about three times more likely to result in a serious or severe head injury than certified helmets. The type of helmet (whether that be full-face, open-face, or half) had little effect on the helmet’s impact response.

These results show the often-overlooked importance of helmet quality in discussions on how to protect vulnerable road users. While many of the countries in which AIP Foundation works have made great strides in recent years towards increased helmet use rates, helmet quality is still a central stumbling block to lowering injury and fatality rates due to road crashes.