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It’s been almost 30 years since Hurt’s research report on motorcycle accidents was published. Sadly, it’s the only definitive study of its kind. To say Hurt’s work benefitted us all is an understatement. You can read more about him and his report here:
LA Times article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-harry-hurt2-2009dec02,0,1034954.story
The Hurt Report itself:
http://www.clarity.net/~adam/hurt-report.html
Look at the back of most full-face helmets sold in the U.S. today and you’re likely to see a SNELL logo sticker. It means the helmet meets or exceeds the Snell Memorial Foundation’s standards for motorcycle helmets. Here’s a snippet from their (terribly outdated) web site, www.smf.org:
In order to continuously monitor the quality of helmets being sold to the public, Snell purchases and tests samples of currently certified helmets from the marketplace. These helmets are tested only in Snell labs by Snell technicians. Should a currently certified helmet fail, the helmet manufacturer must take corrective action to Snell’s satisfaction.
In other words, if you make a helmet and want to have that Snell logo on the back so you can tell potential buyers that your helmet is Snell certified (and presumably safer than one that isn’t), your helmet has to pass Snell’s tests. In the American motorcycling community, seeing the Snell logo on the back of a helmet is generally accepted as a good thing.
Continue reading “Protect Your Head: The Snell M2010 Helmet Standard”
Originally posted February 22, 2006
Updated: September 23, 2009; August 3, 2014
By Ray Kim
One of the most hotly debated topics in motorcycling is whether or not lane splitting is a good idea. To the hardened motorcycle commuters in California’s big cities, it’s a necessity and a huge time saver. To just about anyone else who’s seen it done, it’s insane.
Update August 3, 2014: The DMV and California Highway Patrol have both removed guidelines for lane splitting from their websites and printed materials, likely in an effort to distance themselves from condoning the practice (though it remains legal).
The NHTSA is the best source anytime you’d like to get your hands on vehicle accident data, including information on motorcycles. Looking at their latest data on motorcycle fatalities brings out some interesting information about motorcycle safety.