Cycle helmet safety testing

Cyclists choosing a new helmet can see how much protection different helmets offer, thanks to new safety testing and ratings from Imperial College London.

Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a simple new cycle helmet safety rating system with simple-to-understand scores from 0-5, designed to help buyers select which helmet to buy and assist manufacturers in future helmet design. The system is based on extensive new safety testing experiments on medium-sized helmets at Imperial.

Testing on the UK’s 30 most popular helmets, funded by The Road Safety Trust, revealed significant differences in performance with no link between the price of a helmet and the level of safety it provides the wearer. So, for example a helmet costing £130 did not perform better in tests than one costing £40.

People can check the rating of the adult cycle helmets tested to date on the helmet impact protection effectiveness rating (Hiper) website, and the team plan to add ratings for children’s helmets following further research.