Is It Time To Replace Your Bicycle Helmet?

As your most important piece of safety equipment, it is crucial you maintain your bicycle helmet so that you can have your head protected on every ride you take. However, while it seems pretty sturdy, a helmet doesn’t last a lifetime. It needs to be replaced, and too few cyclists realize that. So when should you replace your bicycle helmet?

Have You Been in a Crash?

Some damage to a helmet is pretty obvious. If you can see cracks or splinters, then that is a pretty obvious sign that you need to replace it. However, not all damage is obvious. If you have been in a crash where you fell on your helmet, then the integrity of it could very well be compromised. In the next crash, your head may not be protected quite as well.

What’s the Shelf Life?

Believe it or not, most manufacturers put a shelf life on their helmets. Typically it is recommended to replace them every 3 to 5 years. This might be a ploy to sell more helmets, but typically age can affect the integrity of the materials. That being said, helmets are made with safer and safer materials each year as well.

Does Your Helmet Fit Properly?

This is more typical of children, but it can happen with adults too. Sometimes you just outgrow your helmet or you find that it doesn’t fit as well as it should. If your helmet doesn’t fit properly, it is definitely time to replace it since it clearly won’t do its intended job.

Bicycle helmets protect you, but not all of you. If you have been in a cycling accident and want to make sure your injuries are coveredcontact us today.

3 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bicycle Helmet

Around three-quarters of all bicycle-related deaths are caused by head injuries, which is why it’s not just important to wear a helmet, it’s important to wear it correctly. Here are some helmet safety tips for a safe bicycle ride.

Keep It Fastened Securely

In the case of an accident, your helmet needs to stay on at all times. If it slips off easily and leaves even a small part of your head exposed, then it won’t be effective in the case of multiple head bumps (for example, a car bump and a road bump). Before riding out, make sure that your helmet is fastened strongly to your head and that it doesn’t move easily.

Make Sure Your Bicycle Helmet Meets Safety Standards

You want a helmet that does its job, not one that will impress your friends. Don’t choose a bicycle helmet that has all sorts of fancy stuff sticking out or one with too many holes. You want a smooth helmet with as much foam as possible to protect your head. You also need to make sure that your helmet meets the CPSC’s safety standards, so look for their sticker inside.

Keep It Comfortable

Make sure that your bicycle helmet lets your head cool off and provides a good air flow. It also needs to fit comfortably, not affect your eyesight and not cause any discomfort, which will affect your concentration. You might also want to consider getting a bright-colored helmet for additional visibility.

In the case of a bicycle accident, get legal help immediately. Contact a California bicycle accident lawyer so that you get the full compensation that you deserve.

How to Choose the Right Bicycle Helmet

One of the basic rules of bicycling for all California bicyclists is to wear a helmet. It is important to wear a bicycle helmet while riding, because in the event of an accident, the helmet may be the only thing standing between you and almost certain fatal or catastrophic brain injury.

The right kind of bicycle helmet is one that fits you comfortably. It goes without saying that if you’re not comfortable wearing a bicycle helmet, you’re much less likely to wear it, and that simply increases your risk of suffering a serious brain injury during an accident.

The helmet must not be too snug or too loose. It should not be so snug that it pinches, or bothers you while riding. On the other hand, the helmet should not be too big for your head. A helmet that’s too big will still fail to protect your head in the event of an accident, because the head will be able to move around inside the helmet.

One of the biggest mistakes that bicyclists make when they buy a helmet is to buy one without bothering to try it for size. Helmets can differ based on the size of the inside of the helmet, and different manufacturers have different sizes. It is absolutely essential that you try on a helmet for size before you buy it. When you try the helmet, make sure that you fix the straps.

However, wearing a helmet doesn’t guarantee protection against injuries in a bicycle accident. Most helmets will only protect your head during a fall from your bicycle at fairly low speeds, and will do nothing to help protect your head in a typical accident that involves a high-speed motor vehicle crash.