Here’s an interesting and cutting edge story involving bicycle accidents and safety. A couple of Swedish university students recognized that people weren’t wearing their bicycle helmets because they were bulky, uncomfortable and unattractive. So these students set out to build an “invisible” bike helmet.
It took seven years and pushing past a lot of criticism. But they did it… sort of.
GE outlined their quest in the impressive video below, which has been making its way around social media and buzzing in cyclist communities ever since.
The bike helmet, called the Hövding, is not actually invisible. It’s zip-up collar secured around the bicyclist’s neck that deploys somewhat of an airbag that surrounds the head upon impact.
The Hövding is currently only available throughout Europe and Japan due to differences in safety certification procedures
As an injury lawyer who’s handled far too many bicycle accidents where people are hit by cars, and that has seen the devastation first-hand when people are not wearing a bike helmet, I find this video really interesting.
It is interesting to speculate whether this product will take off in the near future here in America. Will young children who are too busy to bother and adults in college who worry more about messing up their hair than messing up their brains, be more inclined to wear this zip up collar helmet?
The product isn’t ready for prime time. Yet. It has already been recalled. But hopefully in the next five or 10 years, the invisible helmet will take off and save a lot of lives – and a lot of brains.
In the meantime, use a tried and tested, government-approved bicycle helmet to protect your heads and even save your brains.
Related information:
Do bicycle helmets really protect against concussion and brain injury?
