According to industry experts and new figures from Carole Nash, 41% of motorcyclists in the UK are wearing helmets that ‘need to be replaced’.
The results are based on the responses of over 1,000 active UK riders who took part in a survey commissioned by the insurance company.
The survey found that 41% of them were still using helmets that have been in use for at least five years. If this percentage of the sample is scaled up to cover all UK motorcyclists, it suggests that up to 400,000 motorcyclists could be at risk.
Generally, helmet manufacturers and independent safety experts recommend that motorcyclists should replace their lids every five years.
The reason for this is that the glues and resins that are used in production are known to degrade over time while everyday wear and tear also contributes to a perceived drop in performance.
Despite this, among those surveyed, 62% said they would not buy a replacement helmet unless they had been involved in an accident, while 22% said they would not buy another helmet if their current lid still ‘looked fine’.
Generally, much of the motorcycling community realises that dropping a helmet can cause internal damage rendering the lid less effective and protective. But how many people actually heed this point?
It seems out of the 1,000 odd bikers that were surveyed, a substantial 63% would continue to use their helmet after dropping it.
With the above in mind, it’s worth remembering that some manufacturers such as Arai offer free helmet checks to their customers meaning you can make sure your helmet gives you the protection you need.
Want to find out what you need to look for in a new motorcycle helmet? Check out our comprehensive guide to make sure you make the right choice.
