In most western countries, cyclists are mandated to wear safety helmets. This way, several lives are saved on the road, and cycling turns into a safe sport. Also, it saves young men and women from crippling head injuries.

To be useful, a helmet must fit properly, because an ill-fitting helmet doesn’t provide sufficient protection. The ideal helmet has no space between the head and the helmet padding. Loose helmets can create great head injuries, because they can crash into your skull when you hit the road. Because foam polystyrene contains a high number of tiny air pockets, good bicycle helmets are made of it. These air pockets, when they are crushed absorb the force, protecting the cyclist’s head.

Also, another advantage is flexibility, meaning that besides the fact that is a strong material, it can be molded into any shape. That way, it is possible to make helmets that converge well over the head. Helmets with air pockets can get warn during summers, but these days, helmets with more air vents are available, and they keep the heads cool. Still, the reduction of air pockets leads to reduction in the amount of energy absorbed, which means that the helmet is less protective, so, it must be a perfect balance between safety and comfort.

Also, the use of the helmet is null whenever the rider is careless, by strapping loose the helmet, or placing carelessly on the head. All of these result in serious injuries during an accident. Cheap helmets are not recommended because, they may look good, but they may not offer the required protection.

Helmets are also used in sports like horse riding and motorbike races. In these cases, injuries can be more severe because the rider is moving at a much higher speed. For example, a rider that falls from a height of two feet is likely to sustain less severe injuries compared to a rider falling from 8 feet. This is the reason for which parents and teachers should insist that their children wear protective helmets.

Head injuries caused by cyclists not wearing protective helmets make is a reason for road deaths, and the statistics show that the number is high. Little consolation is left for those who escape death, because many of them remain with crippling injuries.