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Schumacher foundation-inspired safe helmets developed for road use

Michael Schumacher, FIA, Keep Fighting, F1 2020

The Keep Fighting Foundation by the family of Michael Schumacher has joined hands with the FIA initiative of Affordable & Safe Helmet with a specially designed helmets.

The association between The Keep Fighting Foundation – run by the family of Schumacher – has become a partner of the FIA initiative of Affordable & Safe Helmet, where they have agreed to fund the production of specially-designed 5,000 motorcycle helmets.

Those will be distributed free of charge at the beginning of 2021. The special helmet will have a unique design of the Schumacher Foundation’s logo, which depicts a dragon – a symbol of power and strength. The target selling price is around 20 USD.

The FIA Sport department which normally helps with the development of helmets for competitors’ use, this time they used its expertise for road travel, especially for two-wheel motorised transport – where injuries amounts to 44% with no helmets.

The testing is underway in markets like India, Jamaica and Tanzania, with projects in Colombia, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica to follow in 2021.  Jean Todt, FIA President, said: “Wearing a helmet is a key issue in road safety.

“According to studies conducted by the United Nations, motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die and 6 times more likely to be injured in road accidents than passenger car occupants. Finding ways to ensure that helmets provide better protection to motorcycle riders is critical.

“The FIA Affordable & Safe Helmet Programme is part of the consolidated action that our Federation is taking to make a profound impact on this global challenge. I sincerely thank our first partner – the Keep Fighting Foundation – for this achievement and invite all organisations to support the initiative through brand partnerships, donations and strategic support.”

At the same time, Sabine Kehm, Keep Fighting Foundation & manager of Schumacher, added: “The Foundation is honoured to support the FIA’s Affordable & Safe Helmet Programme, as we feel it is a natural and logical issue to be involved with.

“The objective of increasing helmet safety through either higher technology or – as in this case – higher availability has always been close to Michael’s heart, and through our donation of helmets we hope to create a groundswell of global momentum around this project.”

Here’s what was said on the latest ‘F1 Nation’