The air bag vest is a personal safety device worn by some motorcyclists and horse riders. Airbag vests initially found popularity among equestrian competitors, and airbags have become mandatory in professional motorcycle racing. In 2018, it became compulsory across all classes within the FIM MotoGP World Championship for riders’ race suits to be fitted with airbag systems.MCNews (2018) Airbags compulsory from 2018 across all MotoGP categories. Available at: https://www.mcnews.com.au/airbag-suits-now-compulsory-motogp-moto2-moto3/ (Accessed: 19 June 2023).
In horse riding, the device is worn over a standard padded vest and is automatically inflated by gas released from a carbon dioxide canister when a tether attached to the horse's saddle is extended during a fall.
While early motorcycle vests followed this approach, the technology has advanced: modern systems use a set of onboard sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope and GPS) that analyze the motorcyclist's movements . An onboard computer uses this sensor data to predict the start of a crash and inflate the airbag before the rider hits the ground or a hard object. Germany's ADAC tested these systems and found that the speed of detection and inflation mattered.Krauß, J. (2022) ADAC Test: Airbag-Westen für Motorradfahrer. Available at: https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/zweirad/motorrad-roller/motorrad-fahren/motorrad-airbag-westen/ (Accessed: 19 June 2023). More comprehensive research by Ballester et al. also found that the speed of inflation was critical for safety, with tethered systems too slow to inflate in some accident scenarios.Ballester, O.F. et al. (2019) 'Analysis of trunk impact conditions in motorcycle road accidents based on epidemiological, accidentological data and multibody simulations', Accident Analysis & Prevention, 127, pp. 223–230.
Description and availability – horse riding The device weighs approximately and is worn over a standard protective high density foam vest. Connected by a cord to the horse's saddle, a carbon dioxide canister is punctured when the cord is extended during a fall, inflating the vest in 100 to 250 milliseconds. Unlike car air bags, the air bag vests can be repacked and reloaded for reuse with a new CO2 cartridge. Companies that manufacture the vests created them for motorcyclists as early as 1999. The United States Team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 planned to provide riders with air bag vests.
Effectiveness in horse riding Studies conducted by the British Transport Research Laboratory showed that the vests improved protection by 69% when worn by riders in conjunction with a standard protective vest and cut the risk of rib fractures and damage to internal organs by 20%. Studies performed by the TRL for Point Two showed a reduction exceeding 55% in the chest compression experienced while wearing the vest compared to unprotected falls, and that chest compression was cut in half of the maximum limit set by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for chest compression in automobile crashes."TRL initial observations of the Point Two Children's Air Jacket" , Point Two. Accessed August 24, 2010. At a competition in France held in September 2009, rider Karim Florent Laghouag was able to walk away from a fall in which his horse somersaulted over a fence with his only injury a dislocated elbow. Similar types of rotational falls have resulted in the death of 13 riders in the four-year span through 2010.
Effectiveness in motorcycling In motorcycling, Ballester et al. defined the critical information for airbag efficiency assessment: the zones and levels of torso protection, the impacted surfaces as well as the airbag intervention time and the duration of maintained inflation of the airbag. Also, earlier work by Thollon et al. analysed the effectiveness of airbag protection for reducing thoracic injuries in motorcycle accidents. However, more research is needed regarding neck protection for motorcyclists. Some manufacturers' airbags protect the neck from extreme movement in a crash, but many lack this protection.
Independent research found that current airbags are effective and provide significant impact protection, but only under 30 mph. Initial investigation by ADAC found: “Increased protection potential is primarily only effective in accidents up to 50 Km/h.”Adac.de. July 2020. ADAC Test: Airbag-Westen für Motorradfahrer. [online] Available at: <https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/tests/motorrad/motorrad-airbag-westen/> [Accessed 18 August 2021]. In 2019, Thierry Serre et al. published more in-depth research (involving not only impact tests on cadavers but detailed analyses of actual crashes involving riders wearing an airbag). They found that: “The airbag jackets seem to offer limited protection from a threshold speed which can be estimated to an impact around to 30-40 Km/h, but these speeds differ with the impact configuration.” T. Serre, C. Masson, M. Llari, B. Canu, M. Py, C. Perrin (2019). Airbag Jacket for Motorcyclists: Evaluation of Real Effectiveness. RCOBI conference 2019: Florence, Italy.
Unmet needs for motorcyclists Lower limbs Lower limb damage is the most frequent injury for motorcyclists. Kortor et al. (2010) found: "Lower limb injuries represent the commonest form of injuries among the motorcycle accident victims. Fractures were the commonest type of injury seen and the most common location was shaft of tibia."Kortor, J.N., Yinusa, W. and Ugbeye, M.E. (2010) 'Lower Limb Injuries Arising From Motorcycle Crashes', Nigerian Journal of Medicine : Journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, 19(4). doi: 10.4314/njm.v19i4.61980 Jeffers et al. (2004) also found: "Motorcycle accidents continue to be a source of severe injury, especially to the foot."Jeffers, R.F. et al. (2004) 'Prevalence and Patterns of Foot Injuries Following Motorcycle Trauma', Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 18(2), pp. 87–91. It confirmed earlier work by Southampton General Hospital on the very high prevalence of lower limb damage.Craig, G.R., Sleet, R.A. and Wood, S.K. (1983) 'Lower limb injuries in motorcycle accidents', Injury-international Journal of the Care of the Injured, 15(3), pp. 163–166. Consequently, the Protective Innovations of New Equipment for Enhanced Rider Safety (PIONEERS) research project investigated the effectiveness of fitting a motorcycle with lateral airbags to protect the rider's legs.Casalins, R., 2021. IDIADA tested Ducati motorcycle with lateral Airbag – Pioneers. [online] PIONEERS. Available at: <http://pioneers-project.eu/idiada-tests-ducati-motorcycle-with-lateral-airbag/> [Accessed 18 August 2021]. The lateral airbags proposed by PIONEERS and Ducati could have merit because it had previously been discovered "that crash bars provide a measure of protection to motorcyclist's legs, especially when the impact is from the side."Ross DJ. ‘The prevention of leg injuries in motorcycle accidents’. Injury. 1983 Sep;15(2):75-7. And motorcycles with protruding cylinder heads were found to protect riders in crashes: "leg injuries were reduced by approximately 50% among riders with boxer engines. These results were statistically significant."Rizzi M. 'Can a Boxer Engine Reduce Leg Injuries Among Motorcyclists? Analysis of Injury Distributions in Crashes Involving Different Motorcycles Fitted with Antilock Brakes (ABS)'. Traffic Inj Prev. 2015;16(7):739-46. Similarly, lateral airbags could reduce leg injuries.
In May 2022, Motorcycle News reported that a Swedish company, Airbag Inside, planned to launch airbag-equipped jeans for motorcycling.Motorcycle News (2022), ‘Crashing? Deploy the parachute’, 4 May, p.14. A year later, Motorcycle News reported on the launch of airbag-equipped jeans by Mo’cycle.Sutherland, D. (2023) 'Rate of inflation: Airbag jeans come to market', Motorcycle News, 4 May. Available at: https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-kit/airbag-jeans/. (Accessed: 19 June 2023). But unlike the lateral airbags tested by Ducati in the PIONEERS study, these airbag-equipped jeans do not protect the lower leg and foot. Unfortunately, "the lower leg is damaged most frequently."Mackay, M., 'Lower Limb Injuries to Riders of Motorcycles', SAE Technical Paper 861930, 1986.
Back and backside It has been found that back protectors are ineffective, causing the hope that airbags can address this protection deficiency. Ekmejian et al. (2016),Ekmejian, R. et al. (2016) 'A systematic review on the effectiveness of back protectors for motorcyclists', Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 24(1). Zulkipli et al. (2017)Zulkipli, Z.H. et al. (2017) 'Non-fatal spine injuries resulting from motorcycle crashes', IATSS Research, 42(3), pp. 121–127. and Afquir et al. (2020)Afquir, S. et al. (2020) 'Descriptive analysis of the effect of back protector on the prevention of vertebral and thoracolumbar injuries in serious motorcycle accident', Accident Analysis & Prevention, 135, p. 105331. all noted that back protectors fail to protect against the leading cause of spinal injury, compression fractures. In short, “the motorcyclist falls from the motorcycle and onto their buttocks”,Zulkipli, Z.H. et al. (2017) 'Non-fatal spine injuries resulting from motorcycle crashes', IATSS Research, 42(3), pp. 121–127. and back protectors do not cover this area (although a very few include coccyx protection). This failing also applies to airbags, which usually fail to cover the tailbone or backside. Afquir et al. argued that the design of back protectors needs a rethink, and this finding applies equally to airbags for motorcyclists.
Certification
Airbag standards for motorcycle riders In 2013, the European Committee for Standardization created a standard for motorcyclists’ airbags (EN 1621-4). It specified the minimum inflation speed, inflation duration, inflation volume and amount of force absorbed. There are two levels of performance: level 1 for airbag systems with adequate protection and level 2 for airbags with enhanced impact absorption.SATRA (no date). EN 1621 – Motorcyclists’ clothing protecting against mechanical impact. Available at: https://www.satra.com/ppe/EN1621.php (Accessed: 19 June 2023).
While the manufacturers of most electronic systems have certified their airbags to the European standard, it was developed for mechanically operated airbags. Crucially, the standard does not consider the effectiveness of their computer algorithms, in which crash scenarios the airbag will or won't trigger, or how well the manufacturer's processes keep the algorithm updated.
Research by Raúl Aranda-Marco et al., published in 2020, found serious limitations in the European standard for airbags (EN 1621-4).Raúl Aranda-Marco, Wei Wei, Thierry Serre, Pablo Sánchez, Enric Soriano, Steffen Peldschus (2020). Limitations of the Standard Test Procedure for Assessing the Protection of Motorcyclist Airbag Jackets in a Realistic Impact Scenario. RCOBI conference 2020: Munich, Germany. Planned to be held in 2020 but postponed to 2021 (due to Covid-19 pandemic) In 2021, PIONEERS research found that a more severe test (compared to the European standard) was closer to an actual crash scenario.PIONEERS: General presentation to ACEM. 28 May 2021. http://pioneers-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PIONEERS-Project-Presentation-to-ACEM-28th-may-GLOBAL.pdf
Airbag standards for horse riders Following a detailed research project funded by the Injured Jockeys Fund and conducted by independent test house SATRA in conjunction with the British Racehorse Authority, a standard was established for the use of airbag vests by jockeys, and an amended version covering the use of airbag vests for riders across all other equestrian disciplines. SATRA M38: February 2013 – Requirements for air-vests, for use in horse riding, intended to give protection in the event of a fall to the ground