Motorcycle helmet effect as a function of crash severity

Motorradhelm - Einfluss auf die Verletzungsschwere

The paper presents a study which attempts to minimize differences between helmeted & unhelmeted motorcyclists on factors such as speed, collision configuration, etc., by stratifying them based on crash severity, using the most severe injury below the neck (MAIS) as the measure of severity. Motorcycle crashes at all levels of severity involving 900 riders in Los Angeles and 1,082 in Thailand were prospectively investigated on-scene immediately after the crash. Detailed examination of the accident scene, motorcycle and other vehicles, injury information and analysis of helmet damage were used to reconstruct each accident. The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) was used to rate injury severity. Crash severity was usually stratified as MAIS 0-2, MAIS 3-4, and MAIS 5-6 for comparison of brain injury rates. Riders were compared on fatality rates, survival with AIS>2 brain injury or a composite of those called "disastrous outcome." No medical cost data were collected. Forty-eight of 49 riders with AIS 5-6 injury below the neck died; helmet use had almost no effect in this extreme 2% of crashes. MAIS 3-4 crashes were 10-15% in each study area. In this range, helmet use prevented about 75% of deaths. In low-severity crashes (MAIS<3), unhelmeted were two to three times as likely to be killed or, if they survived, to suffer AIS>2 brain injuries. About 27% of both helmeted and unhelmeted riders were hospitalized. Helmeted survivors generally had more severe below-the-neck injuries; unhelmeted riders had more severe brain injuries. Helmet use had almost no effect in the extreme (MAIS 5-6) crashes that were 2-3% of all crashes but 40% of fatalities. In the remaining 97% of crashes, unhelmeted riders were two to six times as likely, depending on crash severity, to be either killed or to survive with a life-altering (AIS>2) brain injury. Studies of hospitalized or fatally injured riders should stratify them by some measure of below-the-neck injury severity before comparing helmet effectiveness. Ineffective "beanie" or "novelty" head coverage should be counted as "no helmet." (A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01752626
• Corporate Authors:

  Institut fuer Zweiradsicherheit (ifz) e.V.

  Gladbecker Str. 425
  Essen,   Germany  45329
• Authors:
  • Ouellet, J V
• Publication Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 270-93
• Monograph Title: Sicherheit - Umwelt - Zukunft. Tagungsband der 11. Internationalen Motorradkonferenz 2016
• Serial:
  • Forschungshefte Zweiradsicherheit
  • Issue Number: 17
  • Publisher: Institut fuer Zweiradsicherheit (ifz) e.V.
  • ISSN: 0175-2626

Subject/Index Terms

• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1621: Accident reconstruction; 8525: Conference; 1687: Crash helmet; 1602: Fatality; 8125: Germany; 2031: Head (human); 2163: Injury; 1752: Motorcyclist; 1611: On the spot accident investigation; 1623: Severity (accid, injury); 8113: Thailand; 9084: Use; 1734: Vulnerable road user
• Subject Areas: I80: Accident Studies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01670071
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: May 23 2018 11:35AM