THE EFFECTS OF MOTORCYCLE HELMETS UPON SEEING AND HEARING. FINAL REPORT
This study assessed the effects of motorcycle helmets upon seeing and hearing by having 50 riders operate over a test route, changing lanes in response to an audible signal under three helmet conditions: none, partial coverage, and full coverage. Half of the subjects were assessed for the degree of head rotation during lane changes, while the other half were assessed for hearing threshold (decibel level at which they first responded to the signal). Results showed that subjects in the vision study increased the degree of head rotation in proportion to the vision restrictions imposed by the helmet, though not to the full extent of the restriction. Subjects in the hearing study evidenced no differences in hearing thresholds across the three helmet conditions. The authors conclude that the effects of helmets upon the ability to see and hear are, at most, far too small to compromise the safety benefits offered by head protection.
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Corporate Authors:
National Public Services Research Institute
8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 230
Landover, MD United States 20785National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- McKnight, A J
- McKnight, A S
- Publication Date: 1994-2
Language
- English
Media Info
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 20 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Auditory perception; Head motion range; Helmets; Human subject testing; Lane changing; Motorcycles; Motorcycling; Motorcyclists; Vehicle safety; Vision
- Uncontrolled Terms: Motorcycle safety
- Old TRIS Terms: Head rotation; Vision restrictions
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00725635
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: HS-808 399
- Contract Numbers: DTNH22-92-P-05282/05258
- Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Sep 23 1996 12:00AM