Cycling is a great hobby with numerous health benefits, but it also causes a large number of head injuries and concussions. There are many reasons for this problem, but one is that traditional bicycle helmets aren’t cutting it. David Camarillo, a Stanford engineer, is hoping to create a new helmet that keeps riders safe from head injuries.
According to Camarillo, today’s helmets do a great job at preventing skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries, but there are misconceptions about the extent that they will protect against concussions. The forceful impact of a crash can cause concussions regardless of whether or not the rider was wearing a helmet. As new studies continue to link concussions with major health issues later in life, the race to find a solution is getting more urgent.
Will this New Helmet Prevent Head Injuries?
The helmet was originally developed to persuade people to wear helmets more often, since most of the time it sits inconspicuously on the rider’s neck. Before an impact, the helmet will spread out like an airbag and cover the person’s head. After the team had created the device, researchers ran tests to see how effective it was compared to traditional bicycle helmets. The results were somewhat shocking.
When tested on dummies, reserchers found that the less intrusive helmet significantly increased the time of impact during a crash, which meant a less sudden impact for the rider’s head. The device was far more important than they had originally realized. It wasn’t just a stylish alternative; it might also be a superior helmet.
Despite the wonderful potential, researchers did provide one warning. They noted that unlike traditional helmets, these helmets would need to be monitored to ensure that they were inflating to the proper level. This could be a potential downside of the device. Hopefully, any possible issues will be resolved soon, and we will start seeing better, safer helmets on our streets.
Bonnici Law Group is a San Diego personal injury attorney with a passion for defending victims of bicycle accidents and other forms of injury.