Home SECTION III OTHER RULES OF MOVEMENT CHAPTER II SEAT BELT, HELMET AND OTHER SAFETY ELEMENTS Article 118 Helmets and other protective elements

Article 118 Helmets and other protective elements

by Mark Nolan

1. Drivers and passengers of motorcycles or motorcycles with side-cars, three-wheeled vehicles and quadricycles, mopeds and special vehicles of the “quad” type, must use properly approved or certified helmets according to current legislation, when they drive in both urban and interurban roads.

Not using the helmet is considered a serious infraction that entails the withdrawal of three points off the driving licence.

 

Remember that if the passenger of the moped or motorcycle does not use a helmet, it is the driver who is sanctioned, although in this case, the infraction would not lead to a loss of points. The driver is considered responsible for the infraction when starting off knowing that the passenger did not use the helmet.

 

The fact of not wearing the helmet properly or without fastening it will be sanctioned as if not wearing it, as a serious infraction.

 

Remember that if, because of a breakdown perhaps, you have to push a moped on the hard shoulder you are considered a “pedestrian” so you don’t have to wear a helmet if you wish. But if the problem is with a motorcycle and you have to push that on the hard shoulder, then you must use the helmet as you are deemed a driver.

 

Always try to use full-faced helmets that protect all of the head as there are many serious injuries from motorcycle incidents, especially in the city, as many riders think that it is not necessary to wear a full-face helmet when driving through the city and when the typical car-motorcycle collision occurs, the motorcyclist usually impacts with the vehicle hitting their head hard, first on the car, and then against the ground, causing injuries and subsequent lifelong problems that on some occasions have been demonstrated would have been minor injuries if a full face helmet had been used.

 

As well as the helmet, it is important to wear suitable clothing and especially gloves, since the hands are the first thing we put on the ground when we fall. We do it instinctively and the touch of the skin with the asphalt in a motorcycle crash sometimes causes injuries and scars for a lifetime. Please, although this is not mandatory, it is very advisable to wear gloves.

Using helmets not approved or manufactured for use in other vehicles such as bicycles, can cause the motorist serious head injuries since these helmets are not designed for high speed impacts.        

Wearing non-full face helmets on motorcycles can have serious consequences. This rider shows us the helmet model he was wearing on the day of the crash. These models are not safe for road traffic, because in case of collision they move and do not cover the head completely, which causes injuries and scars that remain for a lifetime.

These are examples of helmets after a crash. The chafing on the visor is a consequence of them dragging along the asphalt when falling. The helmet with the broken front, which is missing a piece, is from a crash similar to that in the last picture, a front-lateral collision, motorbike and car, in which unfortunately, as always, the rider ends worse off.

 

Fortunately, all these people saved their lives, thanks to a proper full-faced helmet. Imagine for a moment, the consequences of these incidents with a helmet that would not have completely protected their heads.

 

Please, make use of full-faced helmets, the law does not force you to do so, but in the case of a crash, it can make the difference between serious injuries or death.     

In summer it is very ‘cool’ to wear short sleeves on the bike, why wear a jacket, right? …… Here are some reasons. Some say that a picture is worth a thousand words, we hope you understand the importance of always being protected.

 

Many of the jackets that are on the market allow you to use them throughout the year, as they have a lining that warms you during the winter, and you can remove it in summer to let the air through, but the protection is the same. Drive safe, drive protected.        

The biker in the last image of the slideshow used adequate protection and all they had to do is buy a new jacket. Fortunately, when he fell, the jacket did its job well and protected him from the asphalt.

 

Think that we only have one skin…  

Although it is not mandatory, gloves and a good jacket are needed by a motorcyclist.

 

In these images you can see how the gloves ended up after a collision.

 

In a fall we tend to put our hands on the ground, so if we do not use gloves, we will drag our hands along the asphalt. This will cause serious injuries, even at low speeds.

 

Look how the hands of this biker were, even having used gloves, imagine what would have happened if he had not used them…

 

It’s up to you…           

When motorcycles, three-wheeled vehicles or quads and mopeds have self-protection structures and are equipped with seat belts and are recorded on the corresponding technical inspection card or on the moped characteristics certificate, their drivers and passengers will be exempt from wearing the protective helmet, being obliged to use the aforementioned seat belt when they travel on both urban and interurban roads.

Remember that if the motorcycle is equipped with seat belts, you should use them, but you are not forced to wear a helmet, it´s optional.

 

You cannot use just a helmet if the motorcycle has seat belts installed. If you can, use both simultaneously.

 

When the manufacturer of a vehicle installs security systems, the user must make use of them. It is not an option to replace them with others.

 

In the images in the slideshow we can see how both occupants correctly use the seat belt in one picture and motorcycle rider chooses to use the seat belt, while the passenger decides to wear a seat belt and helmet.

Like bikers, cyclists should also use gloves because of the risk of a fall, we tend to rest our hands on the ground to protect ourselves and without adequate protection we can get injured.         

 

Bicycle riders and, where appropriate, passengers will be obliged to use approved or certified helmets according to current legislation, when travelling on interurban roads, except for prolonged upward slopes, or for medical reasons that will be accredited as established in the article 119.3, or in extreme heat conditions.

 

Drivers of bicycles in competitions, and professional cyclists, either during training or in competition, will be governed by their own rules.

 

2. The installation, in any vehicle, of headrests or other elements of protection will be subordinated to fulfil the conditions that are determined in the regulatory rules of vehicles.

 

3. Drivers of cars, buses, vehicles for the transport of goods, mixed vehicles, non-agricultural vehicle assemblies, drivers and auxiliary personnel of pilot protection and escort vehicles must wear a reflective, high-visibility vest, certified according to Royal Decree 1407/1992, of November 20, which regulates the conditions for the commercialisation and free intra-community movement of personal protective equipment, which is included in the compulsory equipment of the vehicle, when they leave it and occupy the roadway or the hard shoulder of the interurban roads.

Remember that if for any reason you must leave the vehicle and walk on the road you must use an approved reflective vest. It is mandatory to carry at least one in a vehicle; it is advisable to carry two in case of you frequently carrying a passenger.      

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