400,000 motorcyclists in England are using motorcycle helmets that 'need to be replaced"

New survey suggests many motorcyclists have a blasé attitude to motorcycle helmet safety, as Ian Marsden reports

Almost 400,000 UK motorcyclists are using motorcycle helmets that need to be replaced because they no longer offer maximum protection, new research suggests.

Helmet manufacturers and independent safety experts, such as the Snell Foundation, agree that helmets should be worn for no more than five years due to degradation in the glues and resins. However, a survey commissioned by motorcycle insurer Carole Nash has found that 62% of bikers would only buy a new motorcycle helmet if they had been involved in an accident.

In addition, 63% said they would continue to use their motorcycle helmet after dropping it, even though there would be a risk that it had suffered internal damage that cannot be seen. And while nearly half of bikers (45%) will initially spend more than $340 on their motorcycle helmet, 38% opt for one finished in fashionable – but hard to spot – black, ahead of more visible options such as blue (14%) and yellow (6%).

Rebecca Donohue, head of marketing at Carole Nash, said: “While it’s encouraging to see that bikers are making an initial investment in their lids, we urge them to not see this as a one-time expense. We would even recommend bikers who have just dropped their helmets to get them checked out. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”