Helmets - Part of the Safety Equation When Go Karting

With the advent of the automobile and the motorcycle and even sports such as football the helmet has emerged as a safety device to protect obviously the whole head and a brain there-with encased.

With the advent of safety legislation which started to occur in the late 60s and early 70s we as a people sought to legislate our safety. What I mean by legislate is that we write a law punishing people who do not protect themselves when they are doing risky behavior such as riding motorcycles or wearing seat belts in a car. The idea behind that is that they are encouraging people to protect themselves.

To me the seat belt and the helmet are good ideas (actually great ideas) but legislating them into use is not, in my opinion, the smartest thing or the most effective way to get people to protect themselves.

That aside seat belts and helmets are by themselves just tools designed to protect the body from becoming damaged during a collision incident. As far as go carts are concerned helmets are a good idea. There are problems with helmets, however, especially with open face helmets in that they only protect the head.

There are also different versions of helmets the most unprotected version being the open faced helmet. The open face helmet, having a downside in that the face can actually get smashed or damaged during a collision. My recommendation is a helmet that is fully enclosed.

If we are talking about helmets you might as well have other safety equipment as well. The safety equipment I am talking about are: seat belts, roll cages, gloves, go kart suit, special shoes, Hans device, rib protectors, and special cushioning in impact areas.

The helmet is only one component to the safety equipment package, from a go karting perspective. Racing go carts for example are lightweight and designed to not hold the driver in the go kart. The go kart is designed to separate from the driver so that the relative inertial masses reduce and the speed of the driver and the go kart slow down quicker. The downside to this separation is that the go kart can actually hit the driver, or the driver can be pinned underneath the go kart during the tumble.

Racing go carters understand this and therefore have padding and have it taken into account the way to the drive the go cart in order to keep the risks lower. Also the relative speed of the go cart has to be taken into consideration because the higher the speed , the higher the impact, the higher the risk of serious injury.

If you are considering taking up go karting or four wheeling or any other motor sport having adequate safety equipment is a smart idea. Having grown up in a household with a doctor, I was forbidden to ride motorcycles, snowmobiles, four wheelers, and obviously go carts were discouraged. I was shocked however when my father, a doctor was considering buying a motorcycle. And he told me about the injuries that he had seen in the emergency room and how if they had worn simple safety equipment the injuries would have been much less.

I remember the simple injury of not wearing shoes while riding a bike. One of our neighbors had lost the bottom of this foot in the spokesof the wheel. My dad had to sew the bottom of this foot back on and we were told obviously, that wearing shoes was a requirement for riding a bike. Additional safety equipment being used for motorcycles in his opinion was leather, heavy boots, heavy gloves, and a helmet (a full enclosed helmet).

His reasoning for the heavy leather, heavy boots, fully enclosed helmet, was a survivability of the accident. What he had seen was motorcycle riders who had been flung off the motorcycle and had skated along the road. We have all heard the term road rash, road rash can be reduced drastically, by wearing heavy leather or heavy clothing.

The heavy clothing, similar to a fully enclosed helmet, wears down on their pavement or acts as a insulator or shield from the ground. The simple graphic of a belt sander wearing away wood is sufficient to get the point across.

Helmets have a twofold function, 1.) It shields the head from an impact, 2.) It keeps her head shielded from abrasive injury. And finally, a helmet can actually act as an enemy especially in high speed collisions.

We are all familiar with the high-speed crash of Dale Ernhardt. What occurred in that collision is that car suddenly stopped, but his helmet did not. To be more accurate his helmet and his head did not stop and so his head actually tried to separate from his neck. The Hans device however is designed to hold back the helmet and ahead from accelerating forward with such force that actually can sever the head. It is also designed for whiplash, and side-lash and helps support the head from a rear collision and side collision inertial effects.

The grim reality of helmets and the reason for seatbelts and safety equipment needs to be understood. Go karts need to be driven accordingly.

- You cannot be reckless
- You cannot go over jumps
- You cannot purposefully roll your go kart, and expect to actually get out of the situation without being harmed.

Helmets cannot save you from stupidity.

We tried to legislate safety and we try to legislate good behavior by what it really comes down to is it requires us as individuals to be smart and responsible about what we do and how we act. Helmets are just a smart thing to do.

Tips for Buying Go Kart Safety Gear

Go karting is the most accessible form of motor racing and is a popular sport for people of all ages, experience and budgets. However, if you want to pursue the sport at a competitive level you need to invest in quality go kart parts and accessories. Even for having a go kart hobby or using it for fun, it is vitally important that you purchase safety gear. In spite of the relatively low speeds of go kart racing compared to other motor sports, go karts are still dangerous and accidents do occur. Karts can travel up to 60mph and are very open and exposed with minimal built-in safety devices. It is therefore crucial that you are adequately protected.

Helmet

The first thing that needs to be bought is a helmet which is undeniably the most essential piece of motor racing safety gear. You will be required to wear one even for practising at your local go kart club. Cheaper helmets are made of fibreglass, while a higher quality one for competitions to give greater crash protection is made of carbon fibre. There is also the option of full-faced or open-faced design. Open-faced helmets are more comfortable and give better driver visibility but they obviously provide less protection for the face. It is a matter of personal preference but some competitions only allow drivers to wear full-faced helmets. Those who engage in professional go kart racing may desire and be required to wear a helmet with a HANS (Head and Neck Support) device. This forces the impact during a crash into the chest muscles and away from the neck in order to prevent whiplash and minimize serious neck injury.

Race Suit

With the possibility of accidents in go kart racing you need to purchase a race suit to help protect yourself from injury. These suits are made from flame-resistant material such as nomex to protect from burns should fuel in your go kart ignite in a crash. They also protect the ribs and chest against impact. It is advisable to buy a higher quality race suit which will offer greater protection and last longer than a cheaper version. It is also very important that the race suit fits properly.

Gloves

Karting gloves protect the hands from the normal blisters and abrasions that occur when racing and also help protect them from damage in case of accident. Gloves also absorb sweat, thereby improving the driver's grip on the steering wheel and making the ride much more comfortable.

Boots

A go kart driver should invest in a pair of high quality boots as most accidents occur due to incorrect or insufficient footwear. Boots should be light and have mesh panels to provide ventilation. Thin anti-slip soles are best in order to have good pedal contact and grip. You can also purchase oil and fuel resistant overshoes to slip on over your boots in wet conditions.

Additional Gear

There are additional go kart parts that provide extra safety. Some karters wear a neck brace to avoid their head moving too much. This can take the form of a foam ring or a more complex restraint. Others, especially children, will often wear rib protectors, as well as knee and elbow pads.

Go karting is a thoroughly enjoyable sport but remember it carries risks and there is nothing more important than ensuring your safety.

Horse and Rider Safety

There is no beating around the bush - horse riding is a risk sport. Apart from the obvious dangers of falling off when mounted, these large animals have always got to be treated with respect when handling them on the ground and in the stable.

Riding need not be any more dangerous than any other risk sport, as long as certain precautions such as those listed on this page are followed. Horse Rider Safety should always be borne in mind when riding or near horses.

Safety for Visitors on the Yard

Horses are large prey animals and have been designed through evolution to protect themselves from things they do not understand! Anyone standing behind them is in danger of being kicked. Horses characters can vary greatly - some can bite (either if they are in a bad mood, or if they genuinely believe the hand reaching out to stroke their nose is actually a carrot!) Visitors to a Riding Stables or Livery Yard, especially with young children, are asked to remember this, and keep their children under control at all times! Riding stables are not playgrounds, and children running round corners unexpectedly can cause a horse to rear.

Riding Hats

Riding hats or helmets MUST be worn at all times when riding, and are paramount to horse rider safety. They are also advised to be worn at other times when handling horses. Riding hats come in various designs - some designs suit one shape of head better than another, and of course some designs are more appropriate to your favoured riding discipline.

The most important thing about a riding hat is that it much be fitted correctly ideally by someone who had attending a hat fitting course. It must also conform to standards PAS 015 or EN 1384. Hats cannot prevent serious injury in all circumstances, but help in the majority of cases. Your skull is fragile - it is not worth taking a risk with.

If the hat suffers a severe impact, either as a result of a fall or a drop onto a hard surface it MUST be replaced. Riding hat prices start from around the mid £30s, and you can spend up to over £100.

Hats do not last forever as the protective padding gradually compresses with use, and the hat becomes looser on your head. You should purchase a replacement hat as soon as this happens.

Riding Hats and the Law

It is a legal requirement that children under the age of 14 MUST wear a riding hat which conforms to the appropriate standard when riding a horse on the road.

Body Protectors

Horse rider safety can be helped by a body protector which can give protection to the chest and back area if you fall from your horse. These are particularly useful if you fall onto a hard surface (such as a jump), or if your horse stands on you after a fall. Body protectors can help prevent serious injury.

There are three standards of protection, and each has a different coloured label in the shops to identify the level of protection offered.

Level 1 Black label

Protectors providing a lower level of protection that is only considered
appropriate for licences jockeys.

Level 2 Brown label

Protectors providing a lower than normal level of protection that is only
considered appropriate for use in low risk situations. These DO NOT include riding on roads or other hard surfaces, riding over jumps, riding young or excitable horses, or riding while still inexperienced.

Level 3 Purple label

Protectors providing a level of protection that is considered appropriate for normal horse riding, competitions and for working with horses. Protectors to this level should:
Prevent minor bruising that would have produced stiffness and pain.
Reduce significant soft tissue injuries to the level of bruising.
Prevent a limited number of rib fractures.

When first using a body protector it will feel very strange and restrictive. Most protectors mould to your body's shape, and do so more easily in warm weather than in cold. Although the body protector feels uncomfortable at first you really must persevere with wearing it. After a few times of wearing it when riding you will find you feel naked without it, and it will become second nature to put it on and use it every time you ride.

Body protectors cost from £60 up - a good investment for something that may save your life!

Body Protector Fit

Fitting is of paramount importance and a visit to a properly trained retailer is recommended, for example anyone displaying the BETA Safety course attendance certificate.

Ensure that you are wearing the correct size of body protector and that it is adjusted to give a close fit to the torso, and that no RED VELCRO is exposed at the shoulder or waist closures. If RED VELCRO is visible the protector is too small or is incorrectly fastened.

The body protector should be tried on over light clothing. Check that is comfortable to wear in all simulated riding positions. The garment should fit securely and reasonably tightly to avoid movement during activity and to ensure that it is in place in the event of an accident.

Footwear

It is essential that you ride in appropriate footwear. Serious injuries can be caused if you fall off and your foot gets stuck in the stirrup. Proper riding boots are recommended - these have a heel to stop your feet sliding through the stirrups. Boots can be short (jophur boots) or full length. The most comfortable footwear is often short boots and half chaps - chaps keep the stirrup leathers from chaffing and bruising your legs. However, what you choose to wear is personal choice and how much you can afford (long leather riding boots can set you back around £100 up).

It is not appropriate to ride in trainers as they have no heel and can be dangerous.

Safe Tack

You are now equipped with riding hat and body protector, and proper footwear. Now it is time to turn to your horse!

The object of riding and of horse rider safety is to stay on top of your horse - your riding apparel may help protect you if you fall off, but really you want to avoid doing this at all costs! You do not want to part company with your horse due to faulty tack!

Tack needs to be checked regularly so you can spot a problem before it occurs.

Leather tack needs to be kept clean and well conditioned so that it remains supple - stitching needs to be checked to ensure there are no points of weaknesss. Buying quality tack in the first place is essential. You may find bridles costing little more than £20, and wonder why you should pay over £100 for the similar item. However, the more expensive bridle is undoubtably going to be made of better leather, and with good care will last you longer and be more reliable. The last thing you would want is for your reins to break when your horse is in mid gallop!

Tack can be repaired, but don't skimp here. If it is in bad condition, replace it! If your girth breaks you will fall off your horse and may suffer serious injury - is it really worth risking it?

Buy the right tack for your riding discipline. Also make sure the tack fits your horse properly for the comfort of both of you.

Finally it is good if you can develop a relationship with your tack supplier - for example, having the person who provides your saddle come out and check the fit regularly. They will be able to advise you on things that you may have missed.

Visibility on the Road

Wearing hi viz protective clothing when riding on the road can make you more visible to a car driver approximately 3 seconds earlier than would otherwise be the case. These seconds could be vital in saving the lives of you and your horse.

It is not always in poor or dark conditions that hi viz equipment is necessary - on a bright summers day the driver's vision may be hampered by bright sunlight!

Slogans on tabards, such as 'Pass wide and slow' also help remind drivers of the need to take care when passing horses. Unfortunately too many drivers nowadays seem unaware that horses cannot be depended upon in the same way as bicycles, and often come far too close and too fast.

Equestrian Road safety also includes thanking drivers who show consideration for horses and their riders - this encourages them to be as thoughtful in future. Sometimes riders do not help themselves if they ignore couteous behaviour! A simple 'thank you' can go a long way - so remember every time!

At any time in your horse riding career you may part company with your mount when you least expect it (or less politely get dumped!). Being prepared can help you get back into the saddle as quickly as possible, with little or no serious damage!
Horses weight half a ton or more - they must be respected!