March 14, 2005 – Snell Introduces Children’s Helmet Standard

Snell Memorial Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to head injury protection, recently announced its first ever helmet standard for children’s off-road motorcycle activities.
Snell says most existing motorsport helmets used by children are actually designed for adults. Children, especially young children under the age of 12, have very different physiological characteristics from adults in terms of head size and neck strength. Adult full-face helmets may be much too heavy. The chinstraps may be poorly suited to the child’s shorter face and smaller chin. And, even with a good match to head circumference, because of children’s shorter neck lengths and head heights, the bottom edges of a full face helmet may contact a child’s shoulders well before the crown of the helmet touches the top of his head.
After consulting the medical and bio-mechanical research communities as well as helmet manufacturers, the Snell Memorial Foundation now offers the first ever Snell standard for children’s motorsports helmets, specifically, the Snell CM-2005 standard.
The Snell CM-2005 Standard distinguishes between children age 6 through 12 and children age 12 through 16. For children age 6 through 12, the helmet weigh should not exceed 750g and the impact energy level is set at 20% less than that of an adult motorcycle helmet. For children age 12 through 16, the helmet weight should not exceed 1400g and the impact level is set at the same level as that of an adult motorcycle helmet.
Motocross and off-road children’s helmets meeting the Snell CM2005 standard are not authorized for use on public roads or any place where they would violate applicable safety laws or regulations. To read the Draft Children’s Motorcycle Helmet Standard, visit www.smf.org.
Since founded in 1957, Snell has become internationally renowned for its dedication to scientific research, standards development, helmet testing, and public education on head injury protection. Snell currently tests and certifies helmets for auto-racing, motorcycling, bicycling, in-line skating, skiing and equestrian sports.
NEW CERTIFICATIONS
In other Snell news, the organization on March 2 released its latest list highlighting helmets recently certified with its M2000 standard.
While advance testing to M2005 and SA/K-2005 Standards has been proceeding, and quite a few models have already met Snell 2005 certification test requirements, new helmets will be distributed and sold with M2000, SA2000 or K-98 certification labels until the 2005 certifications take effect in October.
Snell says this is not necessarily a reason to delay helmet purchases. The Snell 2005 standards represent only an increment of improvement on existing requirements, and many Snell M2000, SA2000 and K-98 headgear already meet them, the organization says.
Helmet makers and brands included in the most recent certification list are AFX, AGV, Allpro, Alltop, Answer, Anyng Enterprise Co., Ltd., Apex, Apex Motorsports, Aprilia by Suomy, Arai Helmet, Ltd., ARC, AXO, Beijing Rodia Fiberglass Manufactures Co., Ltd., Beijing Rodia Helmet Manufacturer, Inc., Beijing Xing Gang Physical Equipment Co., Bell, Buell, Capacetes M & S, Lda, Cyber, Ducati by Suomy, F8, Fimez SpA, Fly, Fox, Fox Racing, Inc., Fulmer, G-Force, Gao Jin Industrial Co., Ltd., Gibson, Harley-Davidson, Helcim Inc., HJC Corporation, Icon, J-Tech Corporation, Jiangmen Pengcheng Helmets Ltd., KBC Corp., Keentech Composite Tech. Co. Ltd., Kido Industrial Co., Ltd., Kimpex, Kin Yong Lung Industries and KTM.
Also included are M2R, MSR, Nikko, Nolan Helmets SpA, O’Neal, Octane, OGK Hanbai Co., Ltd., Polaris, Powersports, Premier Helmets, Queen Kwan Enterprise Co., Ltd., Scorpion, Shanghai Hehui Safety Products Manufacture Co., Ltd., Shanghai Tung Kuang I Light Ind. Co., Ltd., Shark SA, Shengchao Helmet Co., Ltd., Shoei Co., Ltd., Shokan International Co., Ltd., Shunde Fengxing Helmets Ltd., Simpson Helmets, SixSixOne, Soaring (Fei Xiang) Corp. Ltd.., Starplast Industria E. Comfrcio Ltd., Strategic Sports Ltd., Super Seer Coporation, T.E.S.H. Manufacture Inc., TDC, TEQ, Thor, Tong Ho Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd., TORQ, Troy Lee Designs, VCAN, Vega, Vigor Sports, Inc., VR-1, VR1, Winex, Wombat Trading, Inc., Woo-In Industry, X-LITE, Xpeed, Yamaha USA, ZAMP, Zeus and Z1R.