One of the most common questions which confused a lot of motorcyclists and which they asked is whether to replace their helmet after an accident or a head injury or even after they accidentally fall with it.
Do I need to replace my motorcycle helmet after a crash? Yes, you must replace your helmet after a head crash. No matter what the intensity of the vulnerability is, you have to replace it because the EPS or EPU foam damaged in light or hard crash will not properly protect you the next time you have a crash. So, no matter how perfect the helmet looks, as long as it doesn’t have an EPS or EPU foam that can survive a crash, you need to replace it.
In this guide, I will show you various things and all the things you need to know about replacing your motorcycle helmet after a crash, so keep reading.
Let’s get started.
Why do I need to replace my motorcycle helmet after a crash?
Before I show you the reasons why you need to replace your helmet after a crash, you must understand that no matter how simple the crash you had with the helmet and no matter how clean the helmet look, you still have to replace it. If you are convinced that the crash the helmet experienced was a minor one, I would recommend that you go to a professional or even a motorcycle store and ask the seller to check the helmet for you. I am sure he already knew if you should replace it or not.
Most motorcycle sellers would love to replace you with a helmet that has experienced a crash from their store. So, don’t give up on helmets that have experienced a crash. With BELL, you can check the helmet status over the phone or through email. Their phone number and customer support email are 800-456-2355 and bell@bellhelmets.com, respectively.
In addition, there is a website owned by the UK government, called sharp.direct.gov.uk that can show you what your helmet’s rating is and what the manufacturer instructions are, so I highly recommend you check it out.
Well, here are all the things you need to know about the replacement of your motorcycle helmet after a crash:
- EPS foam is damaged – The main reason why you need to replace your helmet after a crash and a head injury is if the foam that is found in the helmet is damaged. The foam may be intended for only one crash and not even one fall that you can accidentally have with the helmet. There is an EPS foam that comes in very high-quality with every helmet so that it can survive more than one crash, while if you are not sure what the foam situation is after the crash, I recommend you go to a motorcycle seller and check with him.
- The face or outer casing is damaged- If you are lucky that the EPS foam is not damaged, chances are that the outer casing of the helmet is damaged and suffered a shock which in most cases creates internal cracks or deformations, causing the helmet to destroy.
- Shock Injury – According to the Motorcycle Safety Fund, if your helmet crashed into something and the helmet experienced a shock that significantly lowers its quality and level of protection, and even after the helmet crashed, it looks completely like a new as if nothing happened. It is most likely that the helmet experienced a vulnerable shock which will lower its level of defense, so you need to replace the helmet.
How to check if your helmet will need replacement after a crash
If you do not want to go to the seller, that is, you want to check the helmet yourself, it is quite possible, you just need to do some simple things as listed below:
- First, take a quick look at the helmet on the outer mantle and check for cracks in the shell. That can already tell you a lot.
- Second, remove the inside of the helmet to see what the material styrofoam looks like.
- Third, check the front of the helmet and the plastic and make sure the top and bottom connector is securely connected.
- Finally, look at the EPS foam that is covered in black color and make sure there are no cracks.
Above all, I will encourage you to go to a professional who can tell you all about the helmet and maybe even fix it for free.
Should I replace my motorcycle helmet after a small crash or fall without any sign of damage?
This happened to so many riders because a lot of riders told me they just had a minor crash on the motorcycle with the helmet and they are sure that the slight fall does not require the replacement of the helmet. It may not even be a slight fall; it can be an accidental fall with the helmet.
Honestly, there is no clear answer to this because of the different opinions. Some will tell you the helmet needs to be replaced immediately while some will say it doesn’t, that they themselves experienced a slight fall on their head and they continued to use the same helmet without any problem.
So, if you are really convinced that the crash was minor and maybe also on the side and not the top of the helmet that protects the head, it is worth checking and it’s better to consult an expert to help you.
Do I need to change my motorcycle helmet if it accidentally falls?
Usually, helmets may not survive a crash, but they can survive some small fall. Also, don’t believe all the sellers who tell you to replace it after a minor fall, some of them just want money from you, so don’t believe everything they say.
But if it is a major fall, such as falling from a tall building or tower, then yes, you are required to replace your helmet. Don’t even bother checking it even if it has no cracks and did not show any sign of damage.
It doesn’t mean you have to let your child play with your helmet because they’ll force it to the ground and can really do damage to the helmet which will make you need to replace it, so keep your helmet properly and care about it.
How to avoid motorcycle head accidents that will make you replace your helmet
If you don’t want to constantly replace your helmet and pay a lot of dollars every time, which is very annoying, I recommend you read the following step-by-step tips that will show you how to properly crash with your motorcycle without risking your helmet and head. You know you’re going to make an accident, it is a matter of seconds when you know a vehicle is approaching you.
So, here are the tips:
Protect your head with both hands
For some reason, the initial instinct people have when falling and crashing with the motorcycle is to protect the hands by landing on them, which is not and very dangerous, especially when you fall with a powerful force that can hurt your hands.
Therefore, land on both hands and protect your head as much as you can. This way, you will not only prevent a fall on your helmet but also prevent serious head damage that can be life-threatening. Also, try to fall as much as possible on the fleshy part of your hand rather than the bone, which can be very painful.
When you lose the motorcycle to go in the opposite direction, it falls
If you feel you are losing stability while you are riding, which may be due to various causes, such as a wheel or surface problem or an unstable road, try to go straight in the opposite direction. By doing this, the motorcycle will crash and you will avoid crashing on the side of your head.
For example, if you lose stability and the motorcycle crashed to the right. Push yourself to the left and most importantly, try to get your foot out of the fallen ounce as much as you can to prevent the motorcycle from squeezing and injuring your foot while there are cases that you will not be able to get your leg out. Don’t forget to buy motorcycle pants with foot protectors.
Jump off your motorcycle if you get stuck in the crack
One of the most common dangerous accidents that happen to motorcyclists is getting stuck in the crack while riding at high speeds, and it mostly happened on unpaved roads. So, when this happens, jumping off your motorcycle will not only prevent injury but will surely prevent serious head injury because there are chances that you will fall on your head if you get stuck in the crack.
Relax if you lose control
One of the most stressful things that can happen to you while riding is losing control or having a panzer suddenly in the wheel, which can lead to losing control. Don’t be stressed when you lose control because it will only increase your chance of doing something stupid and aggravate the accident. So, if you lose control, it is important to relax and try to slow down as much as you can to prevent an accident.
Never crash straight on a car
The most dangerous thing you can do to a car coming in your direction that doesn’t see you is to go straight ahead and jump on the car. That can kill you and I know tons of people who did it and are now paralyzed in a wheelchair or dead. Therefore, if you feel a car coming in your direction, fly yourself to the side between the trees as much as you can because it will certainly prevent head injury.
But not everyone has this ability to be quick and jump off the motorcycle, so it is a possibility. If you do not want to jump off the motorcycle, just go to the side so that you do not crash into the car and try to move to a safe place because the movement of other vehicles can hurt you.
What other things indicate that the helmet needs to be replaced?
- Helmet Age – If you have been using your helmet for more than 5 years, then you need to replace it, no matter how good and clean it looks from outside because the helmet has experienced a lot of things that are said to weaken it after a few years such as sunshine and dirt. Even according to most manufacturers, you should replace your helmet after 5 years.
- The helmet no longer looks good – If your helmet does not have a good outside look and you also feel it is a little loose, starting to have some cracks or marks and the wear is deteriorating, it means your helmet is no longer good and will not offer you maximum protection anymore. So, you should replace it when you start noticing such signs, only after 3 to 5 years of usage.
- Bad chin strap – For some reason, many people do not attach importance to the chin straps. Know that if your chin strap is not good and does not hold the helmet tight to your head when you put it on, you must replace it immediately because it is very dangerous to ride without a suitable chin strap which sometimes happens to be destroyed, especially if you use your helmet on a daily basis.
- The inside is deteriorating – If you have checked the outside of the helmet and it looks good, you should also check the inside. Check the EPS foam painted in black. If it has cracks or if you see peeling on the inside, it means you have to replace the helmet.
- The helmet is made before 1984 – The helmets made before 1984 are simply poor and unreliable and there are a lot of them on Amazon. Don’t buy them because they are not of good technology, have old foamy, and in most cases, did not have a certain ASTM or Snell standard. So, don’t take the risk; buy a reliable helmet made in recent years by a reliable company.
Are there any motorcycle helmets that can survive a crash?
Yes, some helmets can survive after a minor injury. These helmets are very rare, made from EPP material, crazy, and cost very expensive. They are also difficult to get, for example, Bell Race Star Flex DLX helmet or Pro Star Flex and other companies like Focus. These helmets are very expensive and are the only ones I know that have EPP foam.
But the truth is that helmets that do not have the EPP foam can survive minor injuries as long as the foam is preserved, but they certainly cannot survive serious injuries like helmets that have EPP foam, so it is your decision on what to buy.
Related questions
How can I protect my motorcycle helmet? – There are several ways by which you can protect and keep your helmet safe, such as avoid cleaning the helmet with a material that can damage it. Do not try to not crash with it. Do not drop it anyhow or get it wet, and always keep it in a safe place or a box.
How much does a motorcycle helmet protect my head? – A motorcycle helmet significantly protects your head. 50% of motorcyclists died from a head crash because they did not wear a helmet. A helmet manages to offer about 67% protection from fatal brain injury.
Can water damage my helmet? – Usually not, but they can do damage to your helmet if it is made of iron or steel and can cause rust. So, I recommend you use a spray or water-repellent material that will keep it from rusting.
Summary
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