The effects of motorcycle helmets on hearing and the detection of warning signals

✍ Scribed by W.K. Van Moorhem; K.P. Shepherd; T.D. Magleby; G.E. Torian

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 981 KB
• Volume: 77
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-460X
• DOI: 10.1016/s0022-460x(81)80006-5

✦ Synopsis

Measurements of the at-ear helmet-generated aerodynamic noise and helmet insertion loss were carried out for the two major types of motorcycle helmets. From these data and existing information on noise generation by flow around a bare head it was found that for quiet motorcycles at typical operating speeds a significant part of the riders at-ear noise is generated by the air flow. An assessment of the possibility of hearing damage was then carried out. It was found that only with extremely high usage would there be a significant risk of hearing damage for either the bare headed or helmeted rider. Helmets did, however, give significant protection. Detection of warning signals was then considered. It was found that under none of the conditions investigated here did the helmet put its wearer at a disadvantage compared with the bare headed rider, and at typical constant speeds the helmet gave a rider an advantage in the detection of warning signals.