April, 2003

"Modular Helmets" is a new article by Art Friedman in the April, 2003 issue of motorcycle CRUISER magazine. This new article by Art Friedman reviews the tests of a group of new helmets at HPRL and has all of the great facts about these popular helmets with the flip-up face sections. Of course, one of the best ever complete articles about helmets also written by Art Friedman was "Hard Headed?" in the August, 2000 issue of motorcycle CRUISER magazine. These articles are worth your collection for the good stuff about helmets.

June, 2004

Warning to Bicycle Helmet Users: During the last two years, the technical staff of HPRL has encountered an interesting problem with the aerodynamic-shaped or streamlined helmets. These popular helmets have a teardrop design which tapers to a wedge at the rear of the helmet, supposedly offering reduced aerodynamic drag along with increased ventilation through the many openings in the shell.

The adverse effect of this aerodynamic shape is that the wedge at the back of the helmet tends to deflect and rotate the helmet on the head when impact occurs there. Any impact at the front or sides of the streamlined helmet is not affected, but any impact at the rear wedge tends to rotate the helmet on the head and possibly deflect the helmet exposing the bare head to impact, or at worst ejecting the helmet completely from the head. Actually, everybody who has tested these streamlined helmets over the years had the problem of these helmets being displaced during impact testing at the rear wedge, and usually additional tape was required to maintain the helmet in place (the retention system alone could not keep the helmet in place during testing). Unfortunately, the implication of helmet displacement and possible ejection in an accident did not register previously as a real hazard, but accident cases are showing this to be a real problem. Accident impacts at the rear of these streamlined helmets can cause the helmet to rotate away and expose the head to injury. The forces from the wedge effect can stretch the chin straps very easily and break the Roc Loc (or equivalent).

This problem will be studied by HPRL technical staff and presented to the ASTM F08 Committee for consideration. In the meanwhile insure the chin straps of your helmet are securely fastened and properly adjusted, and if you fall, do your best not to hit the wedge part of the back of the helmet. Just take note that the Extreme BMX'rs who crash a lot don't use many of the streamlined bike helmets.

July, 2004

James V. Ouellet and H.H. Hurt are completing the analysis and publication of 304 fatal motorcycle accident cases. Each case has a special head and neck dissection procedure with full central system neuropathology in addition to the whole body autopsy procedure. This publication will present the finest possible detail of head and neck injuries to these fatally injured motorcyclists, with the distinction between helmeted and unhelmeted victims. Unfortunately this project has languished for a long time because further support from DOT/NHTSA was not available and industry has not helped with the project. HPRL needs an angel to help with the cost of printing and distributing this publication to the scientific community, about $25,000. Any serious benefactor wishing to help with this project, please call 562-529-3295.

July, 2004

Jay W. Preston, CSP, PE, has joined the HPRL Board of Directors. Preston is one of the most experienced safety engineers in the USA, and is active in a variety of industrial safety activities and related organizations. Preston is recognized as a genuine expert in all areas of industrial safety and has consulted on behalf of practically every element of industry, insurance and government.

August, 2004

James V. Ouellet and other staff have prepared and submitted a scientific paper of the next international meeting of the Institut für Zweiradsicherheit. The subject is a comparison of the lower extremities injuries from two major sets of motorcycle accident data, Thailand and USC/DOT. Ouellet will travel to Germany this fall to present this research paper.

Links to sites related to the work of HPRL:

Motorcycle Safety Foundation - http://www.msf-usa.org