Helmet Safety

Helmets save lives and help to keep us safe, there are no two ways about it, but it’s not only important to wear a helmet, it’s important to wear a well-fitting helmet which is specifically designed for the job at hand, and which has passed the relevant safety standards to prove that it meets the minimum standards set the Department of Transport (DOT) or other private, non-profit organizations which also have rigorous testing standards.

All helmets must be made to the required specifications of the particular sport or activity, be well designed, well fitted and stay on at the point of impact. Of course, different sports do have different requirements, although ultimately all helmets have one goal – safety.

Motorcycle Helmets – all motorcycle helmets sold in the USA must meet with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 218. This is clearly shown by a DOT sticker on the back of the helmet, which proves that it has achieved the minimum safety requirements. They should also have a sticker on the inside to show that they are approved by other private, nonprofit organizations such as Snell or ANSI (American National Standards Institute). If your helmet does not have these things, it may not provide adequate protection in the case of an accident.

Bicycle Helmets – vary, depending on the type of cycling you do. The design of road helmets, for example, is pretty different from the design of downhill cycling helmets. However, they are basically made up of the same materials, generally EPS foam with a thin plastic shell.

Applicable standards for general bicycle helmets are CPSC, ASTM F1447, Snell B-90/95, and Snell N-94. BMX bicycle helmets should have CPSC, ASTM F2032, and Downhill mountain bike racing helmets should have CPSC, ASTM F1952 to show that they have met the required safety standards.

Skiing Helmets – it’s also important to wear a helmet when you take to the slopes. After all, whizzing down a snowy mountain at some unearthly speed is a pretty dangerous pastime, and it is incredibly easy to either take a fall or crash into a tree or another skier. To make sure that your chosen helmet has met the required standards for skiing (or snowboarding) it should be approved to ASTM F2040, CEN 1077, Snell RS-98 or S-98.

Skateboarding Helmets – should comply with ASTM F1492 or Snell N-94

Helmet Safety Statistics

OK, here’s the bottom line, in 2008, a massive 91% of the bicyclists who were killed on the roads in the United States, were not wearing a helmet.

What more do you need to know? In some states, it is illegal to ride your bicycle on the roads without a helmet.

The law says that not only must you wear a helmet whenever you ride a motorcycle, but you must also wear a motorcycle helmet that has the approval of the Department of Transport.

Make sure your kids wear helmets (but take them off before playing in play parks on the swings etc)

Make sure you wear a helmet every time you get on your bike because one day it might just save your life.

Take a look around this site for helmet information specific to your chosen sport or activity, and some useful tips of making sure that your helmet fits well and is in good shape to do the job it was designed for.