Rider Safety — How (and Why) to Fit A Good Helmet

Research shows us that most scootering fatalities are attributed to head injuries. In a severe accident, your skull may be fractured and your brain may be torn by penetrating objects and bone fragments. Brain injuries can also occur by violent impacts that leave the skull undamaged, but full of mush. To protect yourself against those head injuries, the Snell Memorial Foundation urges you to wear a helmet when you are riding.

And if that isn't enough to convince you, all scooter racing organizations and tracks require riders to wear Snell-approved full-face helmets with faceshield.

Finding a good helmet is as easy as remembering the 4 S's: Size, Strap, Straight and Snell.

Size: Try on several different helmets before you purchase one. The best way to gauge comfort level and fit is through comparison. The helmet should fit comfortably all the way around your head. Additional pads can be used to make it snug. See below for information about sizes.

Strap: Pay attention to the chin strap. Make sure that the chin strap fits around your ear and under your chin snugly and comfortably. The helmet should not shift on your head.

Straight: Know how a helmet should fit. A helmet is meant to be worn low on the forehead, just above your eyebrows. Look into a mirror or have a friend help you determine the proper fit.

Sticker: Look for Snell certification. Snell Standards are the most stringent in the world, exceeding those set by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Need to know which helmet is Snell certified? Browse through Snell's helmet certification lists.

How To Measure Your Head

A small cloth or metal tape measure may be used to make your measurement. The circumference of the head should be measured at a point approximately one inch above the eyebrows in front, and at a point in the back of the head that results in the largest possible measurement. Take several measurements, to make sure you have the largest one. Use that measurement and the table below to find the correct size, then try on several helmets of that size to find the one that is right for your head.

Fitting an Adult Helmet
Helmet Size		Inches	cm
XS	6 5/8 - 6 3/4	20.87 - 21.26	53 - 54
S	6 7/8 - 7	21.65 - 22.05	55 - 56
M	7 1/8 - 7 1/4	22.05 - 22.44	57 - 58
L	7 3/8 - 7 1/2	23.23 - 23.62	59 - 60
XL	7 5/8 - 7 3/4	24.02 - 24.41	61 - 62
XXL	7 7/8 - 8	24.80 - 25.20	63 - 64

Care to put in your two cents? Want to author an article about a particular safety tip or technique? Space is available to interested persons who wish to contribute information or a short article, in compliance with rules issued in the introduction.