Motorcycle helmets are the main and most important gear one should be wearing when riding a motorcycle. Contrary to what some may believe, it is not some giant corporate conspiracy theory created by the government to line the pockets of the rich companies and make more money by increasing sales and getting tax from it. Only me, was it? Well then moving on to what is the real topic of discussion in this article and that would be motorcycle helmet ratings and why they are so important.
These ratings are there actually for consumer safety and protection. A rule that manufactures must abide by and make sure they follow; as to ensure that the helmets are not just for show and cosmetics but actually serve the main purpose. That being protecting your head and however hard or soft it may be, from splattering all over like a thrashed watermelon upon impact during a motorcycle crash or accident.
However, one must also know these authorities that hand out safety ratings and certifications aren’t all the same when it comes to testing and procedures. Some certifications are tougher to achieve and done in their well-established scientific labs while others just lay out the rules and award certifications based on the “we trust you to do it yourself” system. Please, like that ever works with companies and businesses. More on that later.
Motorcycle helmet safety ratings help an average consumer make a decision as to what type and level of safety they are going for when purchasing a motorcycle helmet and is not just a “water bucket” or “salad bowl” when purchasing one.
The certification authorities that we will be talking about in detail will be the following;
- Snell Memorial Foundation
- D.O.T. (Department of Transport)
- European Standard 22/05
- SHARP (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme)
- FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme).
Hopefully by the end of this article you will be able to make an informed decision as to what certification authority you actually trust and is available to you by locale and region as that is a variable to also consider.
Helmets, why are they important:
Now why do we wear helmets and why are they so important? The following should be compelling enough to sell you or much rather convince you that helmets are the most essential gear that a rider could be wearing to protect the ultimate and most valuable part of your body; your head. I mean we all know how sensitive our brain can be. What a wuss.
Now helmets are mandatory for motorcycle travel in most countries by law and they enforce it for all the right reasons. Trust me, no paramedic enjoys picking up lifeless bodies or roadkill from the pavement. A simpler reason is because riders and their families want themselves, friends, family and loved ones to come home safely after their daily commute, work or even just a joyride. It’s just simple logic now isn’t it. So many random things occur on the road that are out of our control in many cases. Anything that can greatly or even ever so slightly increase your chance of surviving an accident in our own opinion is worth equipping.
Now time for some small statistics, don’t worry. It’s simple, easy to understand and useful to bore someone if you don’t like them, who might not be a fan of motorcycles and you want to get out of a conversation with.
According to the NHTSA just for the United States of America in 2019 there were 5,014 motorcyclists killed who died tragic deaths, which accounted for 14 percent of traffic fatalities. Considering how few people actually ride motorcycles, that already quite a lot. Now in states without universal helmet laws, 57 percent of motorcyclists killed in 2019 were not wearing helmets, compared to the 9 percent in states with universal helmet laws. That alone proves that wearing a helmet with or without required by law is actually a good thing. Also, 39 percent of the 5,014 motorcyclists killed nationwide in traffic crashes were not helmeted, based on known helmet use. Now these numbers nationwide could have been much lower if all and everyone had just been wearing certified quality helmets.
Anyways, it’s time to switch to some lighter details and info regarding why you should wear a helmet. Taking into account many small things such as environmental factors that can turn out to be quite a nuisance when on the road travelling from point A to B.
- Rain can put you at a major risk of having an accident because you can’t even keep your eyes open let alone see clearly. A helmet is very effective in preventing that.
- Not to mention all the twigs, rocks and other small inanimate objects that may come hurtling your way.
- Another big annoyance is dust. I’m sure no one enjoys wiping off a ton of dirt, grime and dust from their face after a good ride. Not only is it not good for your skin but an absolute nuisance to wash off and may ruin any suave personality you may have or give when meeting another individual.
- I have many more reasons to give but to keep this short the last point I’d like to point out is style. Helmets come in all fantastic shapes, designs and with features to show off. Why not express yourself and protect yourself at the same time.
Motorcycle Helmet Safety Standards:
The following are the recognized certification authorities being discussed in this article:
- Snell Memorial Foundation
- D.O.T.
- European Standard 22/05
- SHARP
- FIM
Snell Memorial Foundation:
The Snell Memorial Foundation is a thoroughly rigorous testing certification authority. A private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to “research, education, testing and development of helmet safety standards.”
If you enjoying moving from one place to another fast and on wheels but also wear a helmet because you value brains, you have the Snell foundation to be grateful to as they helped create standards that have raised the bar in head protection in nearly every pursuit in which humans hit their heads: bicycles, horse riding, skateboards, rollerblades, skiing, car racing and of course the one relevant to this article, motorcycling.
These tests do not affect what is legal to sell anywhere in the United States and worldwide. Yet, they go many lengths beyond the minimum criteria to thoroughly test helmets in many different regards.
Pros:
These helmets are some of the best in quality and safety available in the market. The following are tests they perform.
- Positional Stability (Roll-Off) Test:
A test to see if a helmet will remain on a rider’s head during a crash. The helmet is placed on the head form. Then a mechanism with weights and a wire rope try to flip the helmet over. The helmet is allowed to shift, but should not fall off the head form in order to pass the test. - Dynamic Retention Test:
The test is done to test how rigorous the chin strap is and it must hold a weight for a long enough time without breaking or stretching too much. - Chin Bar Test:
The helmet is placed upwards and tested on impact absorption from a heavy object. The helmet passes if the chin bar retains shape and does not go beyond a certain distance when hit. - Two Separate Penetration Tests:
This concludes two tests from different varying points at random to ensure penetration integrity. The sharp object must not penetrate the helmet. - Impact Testing:
To test how much force passes through the surface of a helmet to the head. If it goes beyond a certain value, the helmet fails. - Face shield Penetration Test:
The shield /visor is shot at with an air rifle at certain speeds with lead pellets and the helmet may pass if none penetrate.
Cons:
The problem with SNELL is they’re only based in the US and the certification is voluntary. Also, they generally focus on more premium racing helmets so you will have limited variety.
D.O.T. (Department of Transportation):
In the USA they have their own certification; FMVSS218 is the technical standard for the DOT approval. DOT stands for Department of Transportation and it is run by the government. ECE approved helmets are generally also DOT approved, this doesn’t always work both ways however. The ECE test is more difficult to pass than the DOT test.
Pros:
Cheaper to buy and the minimum requirement to wear by law in the USA.
- Energy Absorption/ Impact Test:
Measures acceleration of a head form inside the helmet when it is dropped from a fixed height onto a spherical and flat surfaced anvil. The standard allows no more than a peak acceleration energy of 400 G. - Penetration Resistance:
The penetration test involves dropping a piercing test striker onto the helmet from a fixed height. The striker must not penetrate deep enough to contact the head form. - Retention System Test:
It involves placing the helmet’s retention straps under load in tension. For this test the load is progressive; gradually increasing with progressing time and with measurement of the stretch or displacement of a fixed point on the retention strap from the apex of the helmet. - Peripheral Vision Requirements:
The standard requires peripheral vision to be not less than 105° from the helmet midline.
Cons:
Have one of the easiest safety standards to pass amongst other certification authorities.
- Not all helmets are tested by the certification authority themselves which may lead manufacturers to cheat on some models.
European Standard 22/05:
The ECE 22.05 certification is a European approval of the minimum safety requirements of a motorcycle (or scooter) helmet. The certification is used in nearly 50 countries worldwide. The tests are extremely similar to the Snell Memorial Foundation.
An ECE approved helmet can be recognised by the label on the chin strap, which states the letter ‘E’ followed by a number. The number indicated in which country the helmet has been certified. This doesn’t mean that the helmet can only be worn in that country, it is purely to indicate in which location it has been tested (Is usually found located on the chin strap). The list consists of over 50 countries but here are few as an example.
E1 is Germany
E2 is France
E3 is Italy
E4 is the Netherlands
E6 is Belgium
E11 is Great Britain
Pros:
The helmets are one of the best in quality and safety available and go even further to test UV light protection and against abrasion.
- Abrasion Test:
In this test the performance standard requires that the helmet surface either shear away or allow the test surface to slip past the helmet. This is to minimize the amount of twisting force the helmet would transmit to the wearer’s head and neck. - Retention System Test:
The retention system is tested with a free-fall drop test of a weight from a height attached to the fastened chin strap. No more than 35mm (1.37 in.) displacement of the attachment point is allowed. - Chin Strap Test:
Is also tested for slippage under load, and the strap material itself is tested for abrasion resistance and tension failure load. There are also tests for ease of release and durability of quick-release buckle systems. - Chin Bar Test:
The helmet is placed upwards and tested on impact absorption from a heavy object. The helmet passes if the chin bar retains shape and does not go beyond a certain distance when hit. - Shell Rigidity Test:
Tested by measuring the deformation of the helmet shell when progressively more load is applied. - Impact Absorption Testing:
A drop test from a fixed height on a steel anvil with a head form fitted inside to measure the energy transmitted. Impact absorption and rotational forces are also tested at points where any surfaces or parts project from the shell of the helmet. - Environmental Factor Tests:
Will be tested for cold, heat and moisture treatment and flammability along with resistance to solvents. - Visor Testing:
Ultraviolet conditioning, mechanical impact test, light transmission, scratch resistance, anti-fogging if the visor has been treated for it and ease of lifting the visor out of view with one hand.
Cons:
- A major issue of the ECE testing procedure is that it is mainly conducted at lower speeds and impact energies, so you don’t have as good of an idea for how it’ll do on the highway. So always buy from trusted brands.
- Another argument is that the helmet is always tested at the same point for impact. A helmet manufacturer could reinforce the exact spot which is tested, to improve their chances of approval.
- The last would be that ECE standards do not include a test for penetration resistance.
SHARP (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme):
SHARP (the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme) is a British government quality ratings scheme for motorcycle helmets, established in 2007, with the objective of improving motorcycle safety on UK roads.
SHARP tries to go above and beyond the ECE testing parameters. That includes higher speed impact tests of multiple shell sizes to have a conclusion of the forces experienced in a crash especially with their ‘oblique tests’ to test friction performance for when you impact a surface at an angle.
Pros:
High standards and different quality ratings to provide more varying safety, quality and cost options for the consumer to purchase than most other certification authorities.
- Abrasion Test:
In this test the performance standard requires that the helmet surface either shear away or allow the test surface to slip past the helmet. This is to minimize the amount of twisting force the helmet would transmit to the wearer’s head and neck. - Retention System Test:
The retention system is tested with a free-fall drop test of a weight from a height attached to the fastened chin strap. - Chin Strap Test:
Tested for slipping under load, and the strap material itself is tested for abrasion resistance and tension failure load. There are also tests for ease of release and durability of quick-release buckle systems. - Shell Rigidity Test:
Tested by measuring the deformation of the helmet shell when progressively more load is applied up to 630 Newtons. - Oblique Impact Test:
The assessment of the helmet response to medium severity oblique impacts, aiming at evaluating the level of protection against brain injuries generated by critical rotational accelerations. - Environmental Factor Tests:
Will be tested for cold, heat and moisture treatment and flammability along with resistance to solvents. - Visor Testing:
Ultraviolet conditioning, mechanical impact test, light transmission, scratch resistance, anti-fogging if the visor has been treated for it and ease of lifting the visor out of view with one hand.
Cons:
The helmet does not undergo penetration tests and the test is voluntary so you may have limited availability when it comes to purchasing one in the market.
FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme):
FIM is a new European safety certification for Motorcycle Racing and is much stricter than ECE tests. FIM only tests full-face helmets and puts special attention towards a helmet’s resistance to rotational forces, which is the cause for most injuries. Any helmets being used in the world championship level races must be FIM certified.
Pros:
The highest of standards amongst all mentioned today and must be approved by this authority for circuit racing and championships. Very few helmets are eligible and these are the requirements: UNECE 22.05 Type P, Snell M 2015 and JIS T8133 2015 Type 2 Full face.
That means all the above tests have already been performed by the certification authorities when they receive helmets for testing. Here are the following further tests that are usually done. It also must have a protective lower face cover: not detachable and not moveable, one-piece shell and a retention system with strap and double D-ring otherwise ineligible.
- Linear Impact Test:
The FIM test approach first assesses the helmet response to very high and medium-low severity linear impacts, randomly in 13 out of 22 pre-established locations distributed all over the helmet surface. This aims at evenly assessing the level of protection against skull fracture and at featuring the mechanical properties of the protective padding (or liner). - Penetration Test:
In addition, a penetration test is included in the protocol and used to check the shell resistance to impacts against sharp objects. - Oblique Impact Test:
The assessment of the helmet response to medium severity oblique impacts, aiming at evaluating the level of protection against brain injuries generated by critical rotational accelerations.
Cons:
Helmets are extremely expensive and usually only come in full face models. Not very practical for daily normal or everyday road use.As of April 14th 2021, only 28 helmets have been approved.
When to Replace Your Motorcycle Helmet
Check if your current helmet only has a DOT sticker, if so; replace it. Just kidding. Maybe. On a serious note, after reading the safety requirements about certifications and the right fit, if you’re no longer completely confident regarding the protection of the helmet you’re already using, it’s time to replace it.
Motorcycle headgear should always be replaced if it has experienced a serious impact, and by that, I mean if it has been in an accident not if you’ve unintentionally dropped it, unless you dropped it from the top of a building; then by all means get a new one. Most helmets nowadays are made quite sturdy with various safety standards and can withstand small unintentional incidents, just make sure to replace it when a big incident happens.
Even if you haven’t been in an accident (hopefully), over the years with regular usage, the protection a helmet provides can be jeopardized. The Motorcycle manufacturer consensus insists that a helmet should be replaced every five years as studies have shown that by regular use helmet degradation may occur due to tear, hair oils, sweat and cosmetics like hair products. Furthermore, cleaning supplies, paints, fuels and other materials also affect liner materials thus the overall performance of a helmet. Though the recommendation could be a bit influenced by the marketers wanting more of their products sold.
Practically thinking, the life expectancy of a helmet should depend on how much it has been used and how well it had been taken care of to determine when the helmet itself or its inner inserts, needs to be replaced. There are a few things you can look out for to gauge the condition your helmet is in. Usually, it’s the interior part of the headgear that deteriorates first. Which is the lining and foam inside. The most obvious and undeniable sign would be if the inside of your helmet starts to flake off into your hair or onto your shoulders. Secondly, since most of the modern helmets come with a removable comfort liner, this gives you the benefit of being able to check the EPS liner underneath, which is thankfully usually painted black, so you can look for tiny white cracks forming inside of your helmet to see if it is damaged.
Always look out for any flaws in your helmet condition, especially if it has gotten loose as it makes you vulnerable to sustain a traumatic brain injury during an accident and make sure to take care of it properly. A helmet should be stored in a dry cool area to prevent climate damage.
Safest Motorcycle Helmet Type
The safest type of helmet will no doubt be the full-face helmet, which should preferably have all but if not, at least have the Snell Foundation Certification label at the back of it. Allow me to elaborate why such is the case.
According to many different studies including a research on helmet damage and motorcycle head injuries, during an accident the chin area encounters 50% of the severe impact, without the protection only a full-face helmet is capable of providing to your chin and jaw area, all that force will hit your face directly.
As we are talking about how the full-face helmet provides the most coverage, it’s important to clear a very common rumour that helmets obscure your senses. While it is true that helmets do limit a rider’s vision and ability to hear, helmets that abide by proper safety standards do not hinder one’s vision to an angle that is narrower than a human’s natural viewing range. Additionally, safety compliant helmets also minimize wind noise that would otherwise drown out the sounds of surrounding traffic.
A key factor people forget is that an ill-fitting helmet with non-properly secured chinstrap is as if you’re not wearing a helmet at all.
Conclusion
The significant point to take from here is that you need to make sure that the helmet you purchase has been certified by a foundation with good safety standards. The typical safety standard labels that you’ll get to see at the back of your helmet are DOT, ECE, and Snell.
A non-certified helmet or just a DOT certified helmet is as good as wearing a watermelon on your head, hard pass in my humble opinion. Snell comes highly recommended and a rare selection of their certified helmets are affordable too. They go above and slightly beyond the law requirements and thoroughly test helmets to ensure a riders’ safety. Minimum ECE 22.05 certification is required by law if you live in Europe.
If you like to race and be on the track, the Snell certification is a must have although FIM is the best money can buy.
Always remember, parallel to having a good full coverage helmet a rider needs to secure the helmet correctly, drive safely and follow the rules.