Motorcycle Suit That Doubles As An Airbag

We’ve said this many times, but riding a motorcycle is riskier than driving a car. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that motorcyclists are five times more likely to be injured, and they are also 30% more likely to die in a crash than car occupants. Now, Dainese, an Italian company with headquarters in Costa Mesa, is looking to make roads safer for bikers. They developed a suit that deploys itself as an airbag to help protect the rider in the event of an accident.

The airbag safety suit
The suit is specially designed to protect the shoulders, collar bones and spine of the rider. It looks like a normal racing suit, but when this suit detects a change in movement; it will deploy the airbags in the suit. Designed in Italy, it’s expected to be available in the U.S. at a retail price of $2,500 in September 2015. This is the first of its kind, as per Dainese.

Statistics
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), wearing a helmet saved 32 lives per 100,000 registered motorcycles in 2010. In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported an estimate of 1,630 lives saved by helmets. This figure, added the NHTSA, could have been 715 more lives if only all motorcyclists had worn helmets. In Kentucky, motorcycle fatalities rose by 50% when the universal helmet law was repealed in 1998. In 2014, 668 out of 1,275 who were injured and 46 out of 76 who died in motorcycle crashes were not wearing a helmet.

Motorcycle safety tips
Helmets are known to be the single most effective way to save not just lives, but also money. According to the CDC, wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of death by 37% and head injury by 69%. Here are other tips on how you can stay safe apart from wearing a helmet:

• Make yourself visible. Wear brightly colored clothing. Also, make sure that other drivers can easily see you. Keep your headlights on even during the daytime.
• Maintain a safe stopping distance between other vehicles.
• Wear appropriate gear. Your clothing should protect you from flying debris.
• Hone your driving skills by taking safety driving courses. Also, don’t buy a bike that’s more than you can handle. Buy one that fits your needs and that is within your price range.

As a Kentucky Motorcycle Accident Attorney, I encourage all motorcyclists to always wear their helmet when riding, even on short trips. If you are part of a motorcycle race team or ride your motorcycle often, you may want to think about purchasing the airbag suit in September. It will definitely help protect you in the event of an accident. It’s best to be prepared and to be aware of your surroundings so you can react appropriately.