Survivors of terrifying accidents share harrowing images of their broken and blood-spattered helmets to prove that the protective headgear really DOES save lives

Anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle, motorcycle, skateboard has likely been encouraged to wear a helmet. Though you may think a plastic bucket atop your skull may not do much - photos reveal just how life-saving helmets can be.

Here is a collected a series of extreme pictures, all showing helmets that have been subjected to potentially life-threatening damage. From bike helmets cracked in half to motorcycle helmets sanded flat by pavement, these photos prove that helmets really do save lives.

Despite the scary nature of these images, the important thing to note is that helmets really do work - and if the people wearing the helmets had just so happened to forget theirs that day, their stories likely would have ended very differently.