Why you really need more than a helmet

By Réhann Coetzee

 

No one doubts that crash helmets prevent head injuries and reduce fatalities in case of a motorcycle accident. However, certain studies indicate that because the helmet increases the mass to the head, the potential of neck injury increases.

A 2011 study in the US  showed that motorcycle helmets did not affect the severity of cervical spine injury. However, when the samples were further subcategorised into different crash modes, it was found that helmets affect the incidence of a severe cervical spine injury. In frontal collisions, the use of helmets significantly reduces the severity of cervical spine injury, but in the case of an accident caused by being rear-ended or by a side impact, the weight of the helmet increases the probability of a severe cervical spine injury.

But there is a relatively simple way to address this risk – and many adventure bikers already do: wear a neck brace.

There are a number of neck braces available on the market, but few people know that the first one was designed by Cape Town’s Dr Chris Leatt. He sold his first Leatt-Brace in 2004 and since then he has received worldwide acclaim for his product.

The neck brace reduces neck movement to reduce the risk of a neck injury. If you wear a neck brace, chances of your neck hyper-extending are very small. Therefore, the chance of spinal injuries is greatly reduced.

A Leatt neck brace costs around R5 000 (depending on specific model or requirements) and can be bought from most motorcycle accessory retailers.