Helmet use and maxillofacial injuries sustained following low speed motorcycle accidents

Abstract

This paper highlights three cases of facial injury sustained by helmeted motorcycle riders following low speed crashes. Although motorcycle helmets are known to be effective in reducing the incidence of maxillofacial trauma during motorcycle accidents they do not offer total protection from severe facial injury. There has been much published on the incidence and severity of brain injury after motorcycle accidents both in helmeted and non-helmeted riders, but there is little published data to assess and compare the incidence, characteristics and epidemiology of maxillofacial injuries. Motorcycle helmets are subject to strict safety standards in the UK, and with the drive to improve these there have been major advances in the design and construction of both the helmet and its individual components. This paper highlights three cases that were referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in a 6-week-period, and suggests that more could be done to reduce the level of facial trauma following motorcycle accidents.