What is a Snell Helmet?

Motorcycle riders have often faced the perils of freak road accidents. Most of these riders end up with grave head injuries- and this is why one should always don adequate protective equipment before stepping out on a bike. Wearing helmets is a must while one is riding a bike as this alone will save your skull from harm in case of an accident. However, you must not settle for just about any helmet that you can lay your hands on- you must choose something that will give you guaranteed protection.

There are many brands flooding the market these days: here’s where you must make the tough decision. You have to weigh the pros and cons of these helmets to choose the one that suits you best. Firstly, you need to know a bit about these helmets. They must pass a Department of Transportation or DOT test and consequently have a sticker that proclaims this. Do not even consider busying something that has not passed the DOT test. However, there is further good news for people who take safety seriously: Snell helmets undergo a testing process that exceeds the limits of ordinary DOT testing!

These helmets are approved by the Snell Memorial Foundation and are tested in the United States solely because Europe has devised its own regulations and methods for motorcycle helmets. Issues like impact tolerance are dealt with at SMF making sure that the helmets that are approved, live up to the highest standards possible. Interestingly, it does not produce helmets of its own- it is a non profit and non manufacturing unit and has been operating since the year 1957. The motto of this organization holds that 'research, testing, education and development of helmet safety standards’ scores over any other issue.

There are four levels involved in testing at SMF:

1. Quality control
2. Retention system
3. Environmental resistance
4. Energy management

It is only after passing these tests that one is given the Snell seal! The DOT rating is in accordance with the lowest possible safety standards, and one surely needs more than the DOT seal of approval when it comes to motorcycle precaution.

The Snell seal of approval is desired by helmets manufacturers for the following reasons:

1.It provides more than adequate protection for those who happen to meet with life risking accidents.
2.They save most wearers from any form of head injuries.
3.One cannot simple rely on a DOT approval while buying a costly helmet.
4.It can reduce the chances of permanent skull injuries.

It has been found that SMF is more reliable than other such tests conducted by the DOT, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and The Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC)!

SMF approved helmets are found easily all over the United States. You can trust this organization mainly because of the effort put into it by trained researchers. The helmets are tested for collision against large and heavy objects, stability and the quality of its chin straps and so on.