Helmet safety (was Open face helmets)

[1200Datto27]

PVDA, was that Russell Butler in the Westfield that you saw at PI? That was a fairly nasty one, but I suppose that that what happens when your helmet is above the reference line with the ROPS. Russell and I had had a dissusion regarding that prior (and it's why I sold my Westfield) to the incident, and RB didn't think that it was an issue.

Regarding the photo shown by EP, I agree with The Stig that it looks like a removable hard top on the car, as well as fiberglass paneling for the bodywork, which is possibly why the doors came off. The driver looks from the action photo to be a fairly tight fit in the car, so it might be possible that the helmet came into contact with either/both the ROPS and ground, pulling it off his head.

With the car club that I am involved in, when the cars are in Dummy Grid the marshalls go to each car and check that the drivers have their helmets done up properly, maybe something that needs to be looked at in other places?

[Doc Hollywood]

Certainly the HANS could (in theory) work as a secondary strap, using the actual seat belts to hold the helmet down, however, this is something that should be checked by scruts. Any driver can walk up with any helmet and it is never checked beyond having a quick look at the certification sticker. Most scruts dont even look at the helmet to check for damage.

I think this is also a competitor issue, some drivers will go for a looser fitting helmet as they feel less enclosed. A very dangerous and silly way of feeling more freedom in the car.

As for the roof and doors in this particular case, they are only fibre glass and wont have caused any great loss of safety in the crash. Probably better that they did fall off as it meant there was no nasty bits left to stick in the driver!

[Stoowert]

As a professional biker (Courier) helmets are very important! I have both open-face and full-face, depending on weather conditions. The open-face fits better as it grips under the ears, wheresas the FF fits where it touches. Both are done up by means of D-rings, as against the "seat belt" type. These are more fiddlely to do up but they do have a better fit.
When I bought my helmets the salesperson wouldn't let me buy them until I'd tried the chin-down-and-pull test.
In the lower formulas particularily you see ill-fitting helmets, helmets over the bulkhead/rollbar line all the time. Cost saving I suppose...
...fine until there's an accident like EP's...

[deadsquirrel]

Originally Posted by The STIG

The helmet, new one on me - no one ever tells you what to do if a driver's helmet comes off of it's own accord.

Give it a little tap with your foot before picking it up is always a good idea