Motorcycle Helmet Safety Standards

Look for the dot symbol on the outside back of the helmet.
Motorcycle helmet safety standards. Unsafe helmets may have plastic buckles that can easily break in the event of a crash. This stands for department of transportation not doin our thang but the standard is fmvss 218 the federal motor vehicle safety standard 218 motorcycle helmets and it is. Motorcycle helmet safety standards explained. Dot is the u s.
Recently a fourth testing body has entered the motorcycle helmet market. This is the standard safety rating for european countries. The most current safety standard is the ece 22 05. Always wear a helmet meeting the u s.
Helmets meeting the federal standard generally weigh about 3 pounds. World motorcycle helmet safety standards there are numerous safety standards for motorcycle helmets in the market and it may look confusing to some new riders. Ece stands for economic commission for europe. Here s a little more information to clear up that alphabet soup of certifications.
Department of transportation dot federal motor vehicle safety standard fmvss 218. In regards to. Country safety standard usa dot european ece. For this guide we ll stick to the three main standards dot ece and snell 1.
The sharp helmet safety scheme does not provide certifications but instead assigns a star rating to european model lids. It was created by the united nations. Depending on design unsafe helmets may weigh a pound or less. We ve assembled a guide on the different things to look for when choosing the safest motorcycle helmet from motorcycle helmet types and safety standards to helmet fit and safety features.
If you re ever in a serious motorcycle crash the best hope you have for protecting your brain is a motorcycle helmet. World motorcycle helmet safety standards. The current federal standard fmvss 218 is required for legal road use. Here are some of the motorcycle helmet safety standards around the world.
It measures standards and rates helmets with a star rating system instead of a pass fail result. Helmets meeting the dot safety standard have sturdy chin straps with solid rivets. There are numerous styles of helmets but the three main designs are the full face and the helmet. Helmets can pass one two or even all three standards so you may have a helmet that is just dot dot and snell or dot and ece approved.
Over 50 countries have adopted this helmet safety protocol and favor energy absorbing helmets like that of the dot standards. The three common safety standards you need to know about are dot ece and snell. In this section we ll get into more details about what each helmet safety standard entails and its suitability for helmets rated by each body.