Why is a motorcycle helmet padded?

Motorcycle helmets are padded to give the rider the protection they require in case of accidents. Any hit to the head is absorbed by the padding and the rider is saved from any kind of fatal injury. Whenever a motorcycle rider falls from his motorcycle, there is every possibility that the head will hit the ground first. If the padding was not there, then the rider would get the direct impact of hitting. As most of the pressure of the hit gets absorbed by the inner padding of the helmet, so the rider is saved from the fatal accident. It does not mean that the driver will not have minor injuries but by all chance his life would be saved.