Motorcycle safety equipment – Air bag vests

Very sadly in Lincolnshire we see too many bikers lose their life or have significant life changing injuries.

We’ve been trialling an air bag vest to find out more about this piece of safety equipment.

They have been around for a while and thousands of riders wear them.  Over 28 police forces, some ambulance services, and other organisations provide them to motorcyclists. 

There are many different makes and models, the one we tested has a lanyard attached to the bike.  If the wearer falls from the bike, the lanyard is pulled, and the air vest inflates.  The approximate inflation is around 0.09 seconds.

The Air vest supports the neck, spine and vital organs and aims to significantly reduce the risk of injury.

We’re convinced, and will be ordering air vests for all of our riders.  We think it’s a vital piece of safety equipment for a biker.  We are not able to endorse any make or models of air vests, and we advise people to research the market.  

In the video PC Pete Wing gives his thoughts on wearing an air vest.

We are grateful to HeliteUK for the loan of an air vest to carry out the test.