Segway Helmets
Summary: Segway riders need helmets. A 2010 study of 41 Segway injuries in Washington, DC indicates that helmets would
be useful for Segway riders. ASTM had published a standard for Segway helmets, but let it expire in 2016.
Whenever a new conveyance arrives like inline skates, scooters and other devices, we are asked if a bike helmet is ok for
that activity too.
The Segway made its long-heralded debut in December of 2001 as a new scooter with some really innovative features. Its
wheels are side by side rather than front and rear, and it has gyroscopic stabilizers to give it an intuitive control
mechanism and to make it less prone to tipping over by responding to movements in body mass. Most current models are
limited to 12 to 18 mph, or maybe even less, depending on software controls. It is high-tech and a lot of fun to ride. In
short it meets our formula for the "do I need a helmet?" question. The Segway:
- has two wheels
- travels on pavement
- has no steel protective body or airbags
Despite their gyroscopes and stabilizing circuitry, it is sure that Segways are going to crash on occasion, just as
bicycles and scooters do. The gyros can't keep you upright if a wheel loses all traction, for example, since they depend
on wheel movements relative to the surface to maintain balance. Running into a solid object, particularly with one of the
wheels, can upset the machine's balance and invoke powerful wheel movements that the rider has difficulty controlling.
And anything that runs on electricity and is controlled by computers can break some day. Our conclusion: ride your Segway
carefully, and you will still need a helmet if you value your brain.
In 2010
the first study of Segway
injuries was published in
The Annals of Emergency Medicine. Forty-one Segway injuries were documented at one
hospital emergency room in Washington, DC. All 41 fell off the Segway, usually after striking an object. None died, but
ten were admitted to the hospital after emergency room treatment. Seven had severe or moderate injuries, including four
who were sent to intensive care for traumatic brain injuries--just under ten percent. Of the 31 patients who were
discharged after being treated in the emergency room, 10 suffered fractures, including two cases of head fractures.
Which Helmet?
The speed of a Segway rider and the height of the rider's head above the pavement are similar to
that of a cyclist. The mass of the machine (80 pounds for the larger model) and its gyro stabilizers will probably not
make much difference in the energy of the impact when you crash. When you hit a brick in the road or a car hits you,
similar things will happen. We think that despite the fact that Segways have a motor, the helmet needs should be similar
to that of bicyclists. Segway riders probably do not need as much ventilation as most bicycle riders, but on a hot day
they will certainly need vents in the helmet unless they want to end every ride with a wet head. That is true even if all
you do is stand in one place. The nature of the Segway seems to indicate a higher probability of falling to the rear,
with rear head impacts, however, and early users adopted skate-style helmets for their improved rear coverage.
In 2003 the ASTM Subcommittee responsible for sports helmets standards began developing a standard for a Segway helmet at
the request of Segway. BHSI participated actively in the task group that developed the standard. The members of the
Subcommittee had an opportunity to use both Segway models available at that time during a technical meeting to develop a
feel for the vehicle. The standard was published in 2004 as ASTM F2416, Standard Specification for Protective Headgear
Used in Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices. It was been updated once since then. It called out a helmet with
impact protection similar to a bicycle helmet, but with the lower rear protection of a skate-style helmet. There were no
helmets certified to that specific standard, and it was withdrawn by ASTM in 2016.
Helmets that would come close to meeting the withdrawn ASTM standard were already on the market, made in the classic
skate style but with dual CPSC bicycle and ASTM F1492 skateboard helmet certification. We have a
page up on dual certified helmets with the brands and models that we know of. Note that although the
coverage of a dual certified helmet is lower in the rear, the impact protection of the lower area may only be that of a
skateboard helmet, not the full protection called out by the Segway standard. So these are not actually Segway-specific
helmets.