When it comes to motorcycle helmet safety standards, there are a lot of terms, acronyms, and even drama to unpack. Whether you're looking at this article to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of helmet safety, or whether you're shopping for a new lid and are in need of some recommendations, be sure to read through and check out the recommended standards at the end of this article.
Do note the the recommendations at the end are in relation to the current data, findings, and even the controversies surrounding each standard at the time of publishing.
DOT
The Department of Transportation or DOT, is a safety standard that was first published in 1973. The DOT standard, otherwise known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 218, is still a widely used helmet standard that will make a lid legal to wear and ride in the United States. Even if there are DOT-stickered helmets out there from well-known brands, FMVSS 218 isn’t quite as comprehensive as other standards. The last update to the standard was made in 2013, which covered improvements to the standard’s impact attenuation, penetration resistance, and retention system criteria.
Currently, FMVSS 218 allows manufacturers to self-certify, which means that helmet manufacturers can test their helmets in-house and get the DOT certification as long as they meet the minimum requirements set. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration is responsible for enforcing this standard in the United States by acquiring random samples from helmet manufacturers to test and fining up to $5,000 USD per non-compliant helmet. Due to the self-certification procedure and the testing criteria needed to pass, DOT has often been regarded as “substandard,” at least in relation to the other safety standards out in the market today.
ECE
There are two ECE standards that you have to take note of such as ECE 22.05 (old) and ECE 22.06 (new). The new ECE standard improves upon what 22.05 brought to the table in the year 2000. Two decades later, in 2020, ECE 22.06 was implemented. Since June 2022, all new helmets destined for the market had to be tested under the new criteria, and after January 2024, any new helmet to be sold in Europe must be stickered ECE 22.06. The new standard brings expanded criteria on board for rotational testing among a host of other improvements in its testing methods.
ECE stands for Economic Commission for Europe, and with its stamp of approval, ECE approval allows a helmet to be worn throughout the European Union’s borders, and throughout all the countries that adhere to the standard. Being the biggest market for motorcycle helmets, the ECE standard is the most widely accepted homologation in the world and if you are a globe-trotting motorcyclist, an ECE-rated lid is definitely a must if you want to be legal in as many countries as possible.
Currently, the ECE 22.06 helmet standard is among the safest homologations on the planet, so choosing a helmet that is rated 22.06 will be favorable. ECE 22.05-rated helmets, on the other hand, are still better than DOT, but as it stands it is outdated and the industry is on its way to producing only ECE 22.06 helmets from this point onwards.
Snell
The Snell standard has fallen behind the pack according to industry experts. Developed as a car helmet standard, the Snell Memorial Foundation was established in 1957 and its double-drop test has remained its main testing method. Every five years, Snell updates its standard, and the motorcycle-specific label is called “M2020,” the most series of standards at the time of writing.
The Snell standard isn’t as safe as many people think, at least for motorcycling. Because it is a “rarer” standard that some manufacturers have to actually go out of their way to certify for, many people get the impression that a Snell rating is the “best” in the business. However, it has come under fire with some controversy in the past, namely with regard to how hard Snell-rated lids are. The gist of it is, that Snell helmets are overbuilt and hard, whereas other standards like ECE require a helmet to be softer and able to absorb impact forces—that’s why the ECE and Snell ratings don't normally coexist on the same helmet. In order to meet compatibility requirements with the ECE and FIM standards, Snell split its M2020 Standard into two with M2020D adhering to the traditional Snell safety standard with the double-drop test, and M2020R being a halfway standard that is compatible with ECE 22.06.
Whether Snell-rated helmets are safe or safer than other standards is a debate on its own. In terms of legality and recognition, Snell helmets are most often found on lids that are sold in or destined for the United States and Japan among a few other regions. Snell is also recognized for race tracks in the United States, however, other standards may also pass on U.S. race tracks, it just depends on the rules and regulations of the location’s or event’s governing body.
FIM
In recent years, and with the alphabet soup motorcyclists already have to contend with when it comes to safety standards the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, or the International Motorcycling Federation in English, chimes in with its own standard for use in its governed events and its recognized race tracks. The FIM is the governing body for the highest levels of motorcycle racing in the world, and it carries extensive knowledge that spans many disciplines. Considering that it has to protect some of the fastest riders in the world in MotoGP and its other leagues, its helmet standard has got to match up.
The FIM helmet standard was first put into consideration in 2016 in a bid to develop the safest helmet standard for use in motorsports. Phase one of the FIM's program was rolled out as early as 2019. By 2020, the standard saw the light of day in all circuit racing disciplines. Phase two of the program was rolled out in 2022 which sets criteria for off-road helmets for use in motocross, enduro, speedway, and cross-country disciplines. The standard covers the whole spectrum of motorcycle-related accidents with testing that includes impact, penetration, and rotational testing among many others covering the different parts of the helmet.
When it comes to FIM-homologated or FRHPhe-01/FRHPhe-02 helmets, they have to undergo expensive and extensive testing which will also influence the price of the helmet when it goes on sale. Such models are built for the race track or the specific discipline. As such, FIM-homologated lids can also be considered some of the most well-built and protective helmets out there, albeit with features tailored for the race track. If you are in the market for an FIM-rated helmet, be sure to prepare a hefty amount to get one as affordable options are few and far between. Whether or not FIM-homologated helmets are the best and safest options out there is another topic for debate. However, it currently shares the limelight with ECE 22.06 as the two premier standards to look out for in the motorcycle helmet industry at this point in time.
SHARP
SHARP ratings are also regarded as reliable markers for safety. SHARP stands for Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme, and as an independent testing body, it can expand upon other helmet safety standards as is the case when it came to expanding upon the ECE 22.05 testing methods. SHARP tests helmets based on requests as it states that “it is not possible for SHARP to test every new helmet that comes into the UK market” and that “helmet models are selected by using a range of criteria, including market information and request from the trade or individual members of the public.”
SHARP is an organization that has developed its own standards away from or better than the DOT’s, ECE’s, and FIM’s tests. The SHARP rating is more specific than the other standards, publishing a star rating out of five for the helmets that it manages to test. With this, SHARP gives consumers a clear picture of just how safe a helmet is. The SHARP rating is more transparent and the Programme also improves its testing method and standards constantly, with the next revision being set for 2025.
Which helmet standard is the best?
As far as current data, recency, and expert opinions are concerned, ECE 22.06 and FIM FRHPhe-01/FRHPhe-02 are the safest and most updated helmet standards that motorcyclists should be on the lookout for.
In consideration of the other standards, and at the time of writing, SHARP is on its way to improving and updating its testing and criteria to get in line with the industry's push for safer helmets.
Meanwhile, DOT/FMVSS 218 is outdated and in need of a revamp on their testing method wherein it'll be much better if the DOT actually tests helmets instead of allowing manufacturers to self-certify. That and the safety criteria surrounding its minimum requirements are in need of further updates given that the industry has evolved.
Finally, the Snell safety standard may still be around and recognized today in certain regions and locations, but given the current crash data, the controversy of the M2020 double standard, and in relation to the rest of the industry's progress, the relevance of a Snell rating can be called into question.
