The effects of motorcycle helmets upon seeing and hearing

This study assessed the effects of motorcycle helmets upon seeing and hearing by having 50 riders operate over a test route, changing lanes in response to an audible signal under three helmet conditions: none, partial coverage, and full coverage. Half of the subjects were assessed for the degree of head rotation during the lane changes, while the other half were assessed for hearing threshold (decibel level at which they first responded to the signal). Results showed that subjects in the vision study increased the degree of head rotation in proportion to the vision restriction imposed by the helmets, though not to the full extent of the restriction. However, individual differences in head rotation far exceeded the effect of variation in helmets. Subjects in the hearing study evidenced no differences in hearing threshold across the three helmet conditions. The authors conclude that the effects of helmets upon the ability to see and hear are, at most, far too small to compromise the safety benefits offered by head protection.