Motorcyclists are a vulnerable group on the road that in recent years has recorded an increase in deaths in traffic accidents. To reverse the situation and improve road safety, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) plans to make regulatory changes that will fully affect this group. Thus, it will introduce modifications to the practical exam to obtain the A license, it will require drivers who want to carry frames up to 125 cc with the B license to take a specific training course and it will establish the use of a full-face helmet on the road as mandatory (not You can wear an open jet model) and approved gloves. Although it will not be mandatory, it will recommend the use of a vest with an airbag to protect the thorax area of motorcyclists who drive larger displacement models.
For a long time, the DGT has fervently advised the use of this accessory. So much so that, in 2021, he joined the campaign
Well, it took three years for this statement to materialize in a general way. Traffic has put out to tender the supply of 4,661 vests with electronic activation airbags for motorcycling personnel of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard, some of which could already be available before the summer.
The contract, for an amount of 2,067,125 euros, has been awarded to the company FECSA (Fábrica Española de Construcciones S.A). So, doing calculations, each unit costs about 443 euros. Although it may seem like a high rate, it must be taken into account that it is a security garment with technological equipment. On the market, there are alternatives that even cost around 1,000 euros. In fact, the price is the great handicap that this accessory has in making it popular.
The vest is intended to provide adequate protection against falls or accidents, with their risks derived from impact and abrasion with the surface of the ground, impacts from the motorcycle itself and collisions with other vehicles and objects. After a fall or accident is detected, it automatically inflates in a fraction of a second to protect vital areas such as the chest, abdomen, neck, back, hips and sacrum; It effectively absorbs impacts and limits the risk of hyperflexion of the spine thanks to its shape stabilizing the bust.
As reported by FECSA, this device meets two fundamental characteristics for agents: it has an autonomous activation system without the need for wiring and the airbag vest assembly has a contained weight so as not to be too heavy a burden for the user. Likewise, it is placed over the biker's jacket, so it maintains the aesthetics of the garments used in the Traffic Group.
