It's still puzzling to see how many riders ignore the basic safety rule when it comes to helmets. We'll skip the "rule zero" which says that wearing a helmet is smarter than not wearing one, as it is still debated by certain riders, despite statistic evidence.
If we leave the helmet versus no helmet issue alone, the base rule says that not strapping the helmet properly is almost as unsafe as not wearing one at all. Some people seem to ignore this fact, yet the hundreds of videos that can be found online are unequivocal in showing the truth.
Given the dynamics of the human body when being stopped suddenly, the head acts like a very efficient slingshot that will literally shoot the lid off a rider's head. In a worst-case scenario, the flying helmet will leave his or her head unprotected right before the impact, significantly increasing the severity of the injuries and the odds of a fatality.
As for the kids crossing the street in such a dangerous and illegal manner, we believe it's all down to how solid the education they get in the family is. Responsible parents stress out how dangerous jaywalking is and hope their offspring follows the advice.
The kid that got hit by the bike was somehow lucky to escape without serious injuries and without being thrown in the way of traffic. The rider, however, whose helmet can be seen flying off his head, was less lucky, as he seems to have been injured and remains on the ground.
If anything, an unstrapped helmet is the first thing to fly away
Believe it or not, when it comes to impacts, an unstrapped helmet has excellent odds to fly from a rider's head before his or her head even hits the obstacle or the ground.Given the dynamics of the human body when being stopped suddenly, the head acts like a very efficient slingshot that will literally shoot the lid off a rider's head. In a worst-case scenario, the flying helmet will leave his or her head unprotected right before the impact, significantly increasing the severity of the injuries and the odds of a fatality.
As for the kids crossing the street in such a dangerous and illegal manner, we believe it's all down to how solid the education they get in the family is. Responsible parents stress out how dangerous jaywalking is and hope their offspring follows the advice.
The kid that got hit by the bike was somehow lucky to escape without serious injuries and without being thrown in the way of traffic. The rider, however, whose helmet can be seen flying off his head, was less lucky, as he seems to have been injured and remains on the ground.