When you get into a motorcycle accident, you have a higher chance of injury than drivers of protected vehicles due to the lack of cover a motorcycle provides. This is why you must wear protective gear like handguards and helmets.
But do helmets protect you from every possible injury you face? Can you still suffer from skull fractures even with one?
Avoiding injury with helmets
Merck Manual looks into the possibility of skull fractures and what they can mean for your health. After a crash, without a helmet, the chance of suffering from a fractured skull is quite high. This is due to the speed and force at which you may meet the pavement – or another vehicle – if you end up launched from your motorcycle.
But what happens if you wear your helmet? Helmets get touted by safety experts as one of the best ways to avoid the serious injury and death that can otherwise befall motorcycle riders. Unfortunately, however, it is not a foolproof guarantee that you will not suffer from any injury at all.
A reduction and not a cessation
A particularly forceful impact or crash can result in your skull fracturing even with the additional protection a helmet provides. Helmets often do not help with the possibility of concussive injuries either, as this has to do with the brain hitting the inside of the skull due to severe whiplash or a strong blow.
But a helmet can seriously reduce the chance of this happening, with some studies showing it can reduce the chances of fatal head injuries by a minimum of 65 percent. It will likely also impact the severity of the fracture if you do suffer from one. Still, the only way to tell with certainty is by seeking attention immediately from a medical provider.