helmets news stories on Newser

Motorcycle Deaths Hold Steady

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:52:05 CDT

The number of motorcycle fatalities in 2011 did not budge compared to 2010, even though overall vehicle deaths dipped to the lowest level since 1949, says a new highway safety report. One theory: High gas prices might be encouraging more people to drive motorcycles instead of cars, reports the Los...

4 out of 5 of Bike Sharers Don't Wear Helmets

Kevin Spak — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:21:05 CDT

Bicycle-sharing programs are catching on around the country, which is good if you care about the environment, and bad if you care about people's skulls. A new study from Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that about half of all cyclists and more than 80% of bike-share riders specifically...

Easy Way to Reduce Tornado Injuries: Helmets

Dustin Lushing — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:50:32 CST

A cheap, practical, and easy way exists to reduce injuries during a tornado, say researchers at the University of Alabama: Wear a helmet. Strapping on a motorcycle, bicycle, or football helmet in a pinch could provide crucial protection, especially considering that head injuries are such a common cause of tornado...

Biker on Ride Protesting Helmet Laws Hits Head, Dies

Kate Schwartz — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:40:05 CDT

A motorcyclist who joined a helmet-less ride yesterday to protest New York's helmet laws died after flipping over his bike's handlebars and hitting his head on the pavement. Philip Contos, 55, was part of a large group riding down Route 11 in the town of Onondaga, near Syracuse, when he...

Helmet Lets Pilots Shoot Targets With a Glance

Matt Cantor — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:36:56 CST

Equipped with new headgear, British fighter pilots can knock enemies from the sky with a mere gaze. The $390,000 Striker helmet shows pilots nearby radar-detected targets. The pilot merely looks at a target to choose it, then speaks to fire. It’s one of the biggest technological advances the military...

Calif. Mulls Tough Helmet Law for Skiers, Boarders

Harry Kimball — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:15:59 CDT

Two bills making their way through the California legislature would give the state the strictest US regulations governing helmet use while skiing or snowboarding, and dramatically shift responsibility onto resort operators. The first bill would require anyone under 18 to strap on head protection, and subject parents to a $25...

Bulletproof Turban in Development for UK's Sikh Cops

Harry Kimball — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:10:02 CDT

Scientists are developing a bulletproof turban that would allow Britain’s Sikh police officers to handle firearms and become riot cops, the Telegraph reports. The religion requires men keep their turbans on at all times, barring them from wearing helmets required in certain high-risk scenarios. “There needs to be a recognition...

Richardson Rejected Ski Helmet

Rob Quinn — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:15:09 CDT

Natasha Richardson turned down a $10 ski helmet that could have saved her life, workers at the Mont Tremblant ski resort tell the Sun . Employees say the actress was cheerful but a little nervous ahead of the ski lesson that led to her fatal fall. She told staff she wasn't...

Quebec Docs Push to Make Ski Helmets Mandatory

John Johnson — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:07:15 CDT

Doctors in Quebec are pressing their case to the province's sports minister to make helmets mandatory for skiers, the Montreal Gazette reports. They met with the minister yesterday, the same day Natasha Richardson died after falling on a beginners' course there. She had no helmet. Minister Michelle Courchesne will next...