Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What Does DOT & SNELL Certified Mean and What's the Difference?

The Department of Transportation (DOT) which is a branch of the United States Government, that ensures all vehicles are as safe as possible and all riders and passengers are safe when riding in them.

When a helmet is DOT certified, it simply means that the Department of Transportation requires the helmet to be able to: absorb a certain amount of energy upon impact, prevent most helmet penetrations, and have a fastener which can withstand a lot of force. The manufacturer is responsible for testing the helmet to ensure it meets the DOT standard. If the helmet passes the tests and meets the standard, the manufacturer may then affix the DOT sticker to the helmet.

SNELL Certification is named after William "Pete" Snell who was an amateur auto racer killed in a racing event in 1956 when his then state-of-the-art helmet failed in a crash. His friends, which included Dr. George Snively, formed the Snell Memorial Foundation to remember Pete Snell and to encourage the development and use of helmets that will truly protect the wearer.

The SNELL testing lab is a private facility located in North Highlands, California, and has one of the most advanced helmet testing labs in the world. Some of the tests conducted in their state-of-the-art lab are: an impact test, a shell penetration test, a faceshield penetration test and a flame resistance test. SNELL Standards are updated about every five years in order to take advantage research development and technical improvements and provide the highest degree of safety to consumers. SNELL standards are significantly higher than those set by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission's 16 CFR Part 1203.

The long and short of it is, DOT Certification means the helmet passes the minimum safety standard as set by the Department of Transportation whereas SNELL Certification means the helmet meets a higher more rigorous standard and will provide better protection.

http://www.thehelmetfolks.com

2 comments:

  1. I saw and visit your site. This is very informative for me. The proper use of motorcycle helmets can reduce the risk of injuries and death.This snell motor cycle helmet is very strong helmet.This is a very comfortable, very high quality helmet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You should always buy Dot certified motorcycle helmets for your own safety. The reason is your skull is more important than money!

    ReplyDelete