One of the main concerns for the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is two-wheeled vehicles. 1,145 people lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2023, 463 were motorcyclists. Some worrying figures that have not been seen for 10 years.
One of the new developments to combat mortality among motorcyclists announced by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, during the presentation of the balance of road accidents in 2023, it will be mandatory to carry approved gloves.
The other great measure will be exclusive use of full-face or modular helmets. Qso will be bannedde facto, the use of open jet helmets on Spanish roads. Many motorcycle and moped users have the same question: what helmet can I wear or buy from now on?
Full helmet
It is evident that the helmet is the most important item in the equipment of anyone who rides a motorcycle. Choosing the right one can make the difference when suffering an accident and save our lives.
The full-face helmet is the safest and most recommended, since it covers the entire head and being made in a single piece it is difficult for them to break in the event of an accident. In addition, they protect much more than any other helmet against cold and rain. They also have a higher level of soundproofingwhich reduces fatigue of the driver as the hours pass on the vehicle. The best are those made of resistant and light materials such as carbon fiber or glass.
Modular helmet
Modular helmets They are legal today and will remain so. once the new measures announced for 2024 are approved.
This type of helmet is highly recommended for those people who live in places with sudden or extreme temperature changes or who simply find full-face helmets uncomfortable, since they have a folding chin bar, so that when it remains low, it becomes a full helmetbut if you upload it it stays in a jet helmet.
However, they can only be used with the chin guard raised by those that are approved to travel that way on the roads. Doing so with a helmet that is not approved may result in a fine of up to 200 euros.
jet helmet
The Jet helmets will no longer be legal once the measures announced today by the Minister of the Interior are approved. They have a level of very basic protection compared to integral or modular ones, since they cover the top part of the head, but the neck and face area are very unprotected.
Some have a built-in screen that protects against inclement weather or the typical collision of some insects against the helmet. In the event of an accident, the face will be the first thing to be hit. An example is the video we show you below.
The motorcycle driver must brake suddenly because he does not maintain a sufficient safety distance and, as a result, suffers an injury. fall in which he slides with his face on the asphalt. As can be seen in the images, the motorcyclist does not suffer strong blows nor does he have the misfortune of being run over.
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A fall that, beyond the material loss due to the damage suffered to the vehicle, would have remained in a minor accident If the victim had been wearing a integral or modular helmet. The jet helmet does not protect enough and the victim had significant burns on his face.
A good tip when buying a helmet is to look at the approval it has. The most current is ECE 22-06. The helmets that have passed this verification are the safest on the market, since, if the previous regulations (ECE 22-05) established 6 impact control points on the helmet, in the 22-06 approval there are 12.