Size Really Does Matter!

In a follow up on my blog from June 22, 2009 on helmet safety standards, I recently read an article in the September issue of Motorcyclist Magazine about the new Snell M2010 helmet standard. A lineament shift since a very publicized article, on Snell's M2005 helmet standard, that was released in 2005, also, by Motorcyclist Magazine entitled "Helmet performance-Blowing the Lid Off."

In this article, the Snell Memorial Safety Foundation was pressured in it's apocryphal practices in mandating reliable and trustworthy safety standard tests. In spite of the best intentions from Snell, they failed to acquire the field data on actual accidents. In their obstinacy, they choose to over-look doing their homework rather than being sagacious in their field of expertise.

Now, Snell and other safety standards are taking a closer look at the size and stiffness of the helmet. Until now, Snell has been firm on using 5-kilogram (11-pound) headform mass in every size helmet, from XXS to XXL. When using the same headform mass in a large helmet as in a small helmet it creates more or less density, and therefore depleting the protection, that we, as motorcycle consumers rely on.
The ECE were sedulous in the practice of testing graduated- headform masses with lighter artificial heads as well as larger heads since 1983. Sadly, Snell insisted for all those decades they had "no evidence" that smaller heads are lighter than bigger heads!! Seriously?

After all these years, the ECE have been convincing to the Snell Foundation and others alike, that size does matter! As a result, Snell has now adopted the graduated-headform -mass testing protocol, abandoning the extraneous attitude of days gone by.
Now, oddly enough, today, testing an XS Snell M2005 helmet would not pass the Snell 2010 helmet standard test of the same size. Manufactures will still be allowed to to make the older M2005 helmet indefinitely, so if you have a larger head you might be wise to stay with the older model. Smaller heads will benefit from the newer M2010 model.

In all things considered there is more of a state of alignment amongst the major mandatory (DOT and ECE) and voluntary Snell standards, and this is a very good thing indeed!

I commend you, Snell for introducing the M2010 safety standard, and changing your ways, even if it did take you 27 years to do so!

Cindi