The equivalent of car air bags, the jackets are worn by bikers and inflate if a rider is thrown off during a crash, helping protect the wearer.

The most recent figures from the Department for Transport reveal that 561 motorcyclists died in 2007. But while motorcyclists account for just 1% of road users, they make up almost 20% (19%) of fatalities.

Dr Andy Parfitt, spokesperson for the College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) and a leading accident and Emergency doctor at St Thomas’ Hospital in London says: “Dozens of lives could be saved if these airbag jackets were made compulsory. Also, it’s not just the lives saved, there’re the injuries they could help prevent for people who do survive but have to live with life long effects of accidents too.”

“There’s no questions that airbag jackets do protect the vital organs and spine over and above the level that a normal jacket provides. The majority of deaths from motorcycle accidents are due to injuries that should be prevented by these type of jackets.”

Dineth Wijayarathna (32) who was lucky to survive a motorcycle crash 2 years ago which left him fighting for his life thinks the airbag jackets would improve safety for motorcyclists.

He says: “I’ve got a Ducati 749. It’s my pride and joy and I’m on it all the time. I commute on it and use it to go and see friends. I was at a race day at Brands Hatch doing 130 mph when my rear suspension broke and I came off. I broke my back, my pelvis in two places and a few ribs. I spent 2 weeks in hospital and had two major operations. I couldn’t walk for 3 months and spent 6 months in rehab. I’ve still a plate with 6 bolts in my pelvis as well as two 90mm bolts connecting my pelvis to my spine.”

“I’ve seen a few of these airbag jackets come onto the market in the last few years and I think they’re an amazing idea. If they do save lives then I’m all for it. They’d be a great addition to general safety for motorcyclists as it’s an inherently dangerous pursuit – on the road, I’d think they’d be fantastic.”

There are now several airbag jackets available in the UK.

However, the Department for Transport have no plans to make these jackets compulsory.

In a statement they say: “We work closely with motorcycle groups and manufacturers to explore ways of improving the safety of motorcyclists. These include driver and rider awareness campaigns and our SHARP helmet safety rating system – the first of its kind in the world.

“There are no plans to make these jackets compulsory but we welcome any new technologies which may improve safety on the roads and will monitor the use and performance of airbag jackets through our regular communications with rider groups and the industry.”

Attribute to Radio1 Newsbeat

Source: Female First

The test, arranged by Radio 1’s Newsbeat programme, took place at Goodwood, and saw stuntman Rob Hunt lob himself off a battered Yamaha TZR125 not once, but twice. He said the jacket made him feel like the Michelin man, but reckons it would work well on the road.

However, the test has raised fears the Government might look to make airbag jackets compulsory after a spokesman for the College of Emergency Medicine told Newsbeat that dozens of lives could be saved if bikers were forced to wear the jackets.

Check out this video of the jacket being crash tested, or have a look at the Dainese airbag suit in action.

The jacket costs £550, and replacement gas canisters will set you back a further £12 each. Point Two claims it’s the only jacket of its type to achieve the CE standard, deploying as it does within 0.25 seconds.

It also features CE armour on the shoulders and elbows, with airbags covering the neck, spine, coccyx and ribcage.

It’s available in sizes XXS-XXXXL, in black, red, blue and hi-viz colours.

Source: Motorcycle News

Not interested in an airbag jacket?  Why not look for a standard motorbike jacket instead?

The jackets are the equivalent of car air bags and inflate if the rider is thrown off during a crash.

In one version, the jacket is attached to the bike by a lead which detaches when the rider has come off suddenly.

The Department of Transport said it had no plans for a new law but said it welcomed anything to improve safety.

Vital organs

Although motorcyclists make up just 1% of road users, they account for 20% of fatalities.

Figures for 2007 show that 561 bikers died on the roads.

Andy Parfitt, an A&E doctor at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, said: “There is a shocking number of deaths of motorcyclists on the roads. I think dozens of lives could be saved if these jackets were made compulsory.

It stopped me from rolling as well. It stops the bounce. I think it’s the bounce when you’re crashing at speed that hurts you Stuntman Rob Hunt after testing an air bag jacket Have Your Say: Should air bag jackets be made compulsory?

Dr Parfitt, a keen biker, said: “There’s no question that what the jackets do afford is, they protect a motorcyclists’ vital organs, neck and spine over and above the level that a normal jacket would do.

“A majority of deaths in motorcycle accidents are due to injuries to these vital organs that should be protected by these jackets.”

One rider whose experience underlines the kind of injuries that motorcyclists can receive in accidents is 32-year-old Dineth Wijayarathna.

He was involved in a crash two years ago on a private track that left him seriously injured.

He said: “I was doing about 130mph (210km/h), the rear wheel suspension failed on my motorcycle and I came off, broke my pelvis in two places, broke my back and broke a few ribs.”

He needed two major operations, couldn’t walk for six months and still feels the after-effects two years on.

“I’ve got a plate in the front of my pelvis with six bolts in it. I’ve got two 9cm (3.5in) bolts going through my pelvis into my spine,” he said.

“It was awful. Not being able to walk, not being able to do normal bodily functions for such a long period of time wasn’t the best fun.”

Dineth Wijayarathna broke his back and pelvis after a crash

There are different types of air bag jackets on sale in the UK, which cost up to twice as much as standard jackets.

One version, sold by Point Two, is attached to bikes by a lead and, if the wearer falls off, that triggers a small gas canister that inflates the jacket in less than one fifth of a second.

The spine is then held tight and the air bag protects the area between the neck and pelvis.

Newsbeat gave one of the jackets to Rob Hunt, a stuntman for 12 years.

He said afterwards: “It just stops you from going anywhere. It’s tight. It’s protecting all around my ribs.”

“It felt as though I was picked up off the floor and I was on the air bag. It was just like gliding on air.

“It stopped me from rolling as well. It stops the bounce. I think it’s the bounce when you’re crashing at speed that hurts you.”

Source:  BBC