Are Bicycle Helmet Speakers a Cause for Safety Concerns?

Its summer time and the avid biker is out on the road getting some exercise and enjoying the great weather. Some of us take a quite ride along a country road for the fun of it, while others take advantage of the pleasant summer weather to commute to work. In each case the situation is a personal choice.

It is also a personal decision whether or not to wear a bicycle helmet (within the law). And again it is a personal choice whether or not to use a Bluetooth device to sync to an audio device. Lets take a quick look at some facts and some pros and cons on the subject of bicycle helmets and Bluetooth helmets.

In 21 US states, some bicyclists are required by law to wear a helmet. This generally governs the mandatory use of helmets for bikers age 17 years or less (age varies by state). Twenty-nine US states have no bicycle safety laws requiring bicycle helmets. In all states it is up to the individual adult cyclist to make his/her choice to wear a bicycle helmet.

Are Bicycle Helmet Speakers a Cause for Safety Concerns?

Regarding biker safety; it is clearly a smart choice to wear a bicycle helmet at all times. Accidents happen and you never know when. True a bicycle helmet is restricting and distracts from the whole one with nature feeling, but its just good sense.

Now regarding the use of a Bluetooth device or a Bluetooth helmet while riding; the topic is not so black and white.

I have not found any restrictions regarding the use of helmet speakers for bicycle helmets. However; 11 US states have restrictions on the use of motorcycle helmet speakers. This would indicate that some legislators believe that their use could be dangerous.

These restrictions include:

Prohibited - Prohibited to use or possess (1 state). Prohibited - Unlawful to operate motor vehicle, while using earphones (2 states). No earphones allowed. Helmet speakers are allowed (1 state). Single earphone only (4 states). For communication only (3 states).

Analyzing this list it appears as though the legislators are attempting to regulate the audio content (discourage loud music, allow voice communication) but do not know how to formulate a law that can be interpreted properly and enforceable.

Let's apply this analysis to bicycling. As a safe biker it makes good sense to keep the sound level down. Being aware of your surrounding at all times is paramount to safe cycling and loud music is a distraction.

If you choose to listen to music while you ride follow these safety tips:

Use helmet speakers. Do not use earphones or ear buds. If you must use earphones or ear buds, use only one. Keep the music to background levels so you can hear any ambient sounds.

So why should you own a Bluetooth helmet?

Our active lifestyles today require that we stay in constant contact with others. Most of us carry cellular phones with us and hate to miss calls. Pairing your cell phone to your Bluetooth helmet makes receiving calls a breeze. Once you answer your call, it is up to you if you want to pull off to the side of the road and talk (the safest action) or talk & ride. Each call can be handled differently depending on the situation.

GPS navigation is another good reason to own a Bluetooth helmet. Pairing a handsfree handheld GPS unit with your Bluetooth device will allow you to give and receive GPS voice commands. This can come in handy when exploring country roads on a afternoon outing. GPS motorcycle mounts are available to mount a handheld GPS unit to your bike.

Bike to Bike communications. If you like to ride with a group of friends it is nice at times to be able to converse with your friends without stopping or yelling long distances. Pairing your Bluetooth helmet to a 2-way radio will permit you to talk freely to other members of your group having 2-way radios. This could be especially handy in large groups where a radio in the front and back of the group will help keep the group together.

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