Motorcycle and scooter riders are vulnerable on our roads. Statistics highlight the dangers:

• Around 950 riders are killed or seriously injured each year in Victoria.
• Riders and pillion passengers account for 14% of road fatalities (even though motorcycles are less than 4% of all vehicles registered in Victoria).  
• Riders are 38 times more likely to be seriously injured than car occupants per kilometre travelled.

Protective gear is designed to help protect your body in a crash. Motorcycle and scooter crashes can happen anywhere, anytime – even on short trips close to home. In a crash, riders and pillion passengers are at risk of injury from two things:

• Impact – contact with the road, a car, roadside objects or even your own bike can cause fractures, internal injuries and bruising.
• Abrasion – sliding along the road can cause loss of large areas of skin and muscle tissue.  These injuries can lead to lengthy hospital stays, reconstructive surgery, permanent and debilitating scarring and extensive rehabilitation.

While protective gear can’t prevent all injuries, it offers good protection from many common rider injuries and it can reduce their severity. Good quality protective clothing costs money and you should budget for this in your riding costs. If you don’t wear the right stuff you may pay a much bigger price in pain and suffering after a crash. Protective clothing that keeps out the wind and rain will also make riding a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Helmet
A helmet can save your life in many circumstances.

• Riders and passengers must wear an approved helmet carrying AS1698 or AS/NZS1698 certification. A face shield or visor must meet the Australian Standard AS1609.
• Replace your helmet if it has sustained an impact, such as during a crash or when dropped.
• Never lend or borrow a helmet.
• Never buy a helmet second hand. You won't know how it has been treated. It may have damage you can’t see.

Choosing a helmet
When choosing a helmet, try several on and spend as much as you can afford. Helmets range in price and construction, so spend time choosing the best protection, the best fit and most comfortable style for you. For more information on helmets, including protection and comfort ratings, visit the Consumer Rating and Safety of Helmets website.


Types of helmets
You can choose between:

• full-face or flip-up styles, which have a chin bar to cover the lower face and jaw, or

• an open face helmet

   which leaves your face exposed so there is no protection for the chin and jaw. Many open face helmets offer no eye defence, so you could get hit in the eye by a rock or large bug causing injury or a loss of control; even rain can cause pain and difficulty in seeing clearly.

Helmet fit
Fit your helmet carefully by following these steps:

1. With the helmet on, place your hands on the sides of the helmet and move it around - you should feel your skin move with the helmet.
2. Then move your head from side to side; the helmet should move with you without feeling loose on your head.
3. Finally, wear the helmet for a few minutes to make sure it's comfortable.

Gloves and boots
Don’t forget gloves and boots. In a crash it's not unusual for the hands and feet to flap about uncontrollably, striking the bitumen many times. Wearing gloves more than halves your risk of being admitted to hospital after a crash. Boots are twice as effective as shoes in preventing foot and ankle injury.


Gloves
When choosing gloves, keep the following tips in mind:

• Pick the ones that are going to suit the type of riding you plan on doing, for example consider weather conditions.
• Make sure they fit comfortably to improve your grip on the handlebars.
• Tight gloves may restrict circulation, causing your hands to become cold or numb. 
• Bulky gloves may create problems in operating the motorcycle controls.

Boots
Motorcycle boots provide important protection for the feet, ankles and the lower legs, as they are heavily reinforced in the areas which sustain most stress and injury. This is especially important in a crash as the rider's feet are often trapped under the motorcycle as it slides along the road. Motorcycle boots are also designed to remain secure on the feet, while other types of footwear frequently come off in crashes.

Remember, motorcycle boots are purpose made equipment. Any other footwear will not provide the same level of protection.

Jacket, pants and suit
Leather is the material often used for protective clothing and very little can match leather's abrasion resistance. Other synthetic materials such as Cordura®, Gore-tex®, Kevlar® and Dyneema® can be combined in a garment to offer abrasion resistance as well as weather protection. These are valid alternatives to leather. Many jackets and pants of both synthetic and leather construction now come with impact absorbing inserts, and even spine protectors.

When choosing clothing, comfort and function are important. Make sure that when you're seated in a riding position, the material doesn't bunch up and restrict blood flow. Importantly make sure that whatever clothing you choose, it is made specifically for motorcycle use.