“Contos hit his brakes, began fishtailing and lost control of his 1983 Harley Davidson. He shot over the handlebars, hit his head on the pavement and was taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, New York, where he was pronounced dead.”
Obviously he was going much faster than 14 miles per hour, which is the maximum speed helmets are rated for.
At age 18, in 1973, I put a 2-3 inch gash in a helmet when I hit a berm and went over the handlebars. I was doing maybe 30 mph. I have ALWAYS worn a helmet since. This was in CA and I could ride without a helmet at that time...........
if he was wearing a helmet his neck would have snapped which would mean he would still be dead. FMVSS 218 has no neck standards.