Last Updated 30th of July, 2010

Which motorcycle helmets offer the most protection?

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A serious case of road rash is not a pretty sight, but a smashed-in noggin will kill you; that’s why motorcycle helmets are arguably one of – if not the – most important pieces of motorcycle safety gear for both motorcycle license holders and passengers of motorcycles.

Motorcycle Safety: Use Your Head

To choose the best helmet for you, remember these three words:

  1. Style
  2. Sticker
  3. State
Let’s dig a little deeper.

Choose the Best Helmet Style


And we’re not talking about fashion, folks.

You need a helmet that comfortably fits both your budget and your head, and you have basically three kinds of helmets to choose from:

  1. The full-coverage helmet, which, as the name implies, provides the most coverage for your head. These helmets feature face shields and chin bars that work to provide your head with the most protection from penetration and impact.
  2. The open-face helmet, which is a three-quarter helmet and covers most of your head but leaves your face and all the areas around your chin and neck exposed. The open-face helmet doesn’t offer as much protection as the full-coverage helmet offers, but with an added face shield or goggles, it’s a safer choice than the shorty helmet (see below).
  3. The shorty helmet, which is a half-helmet and offers the least amount of protection. You can find shorty helmets that meet Department of Transportation standards, but these helmets are more likely to pop right off your head during an accident.

Look for Stickers of Approval


There are two organizations that set motorcycle helmet standards:

  1. The Federal Government’s Department of Transportation (DOT), which sets the standards all helmets sold to the public must meet.
  2. The Snell Memorial Foundation, which is a private, not-for-profit organization that voluntarily sets standards.
Your helmet must meet DOT standards, but Snell standards are notoriously tougher than the DOT’s. In other words, make sure your helmet is DOT approved, but also take the extra time to find out what Snell has to say about it.

Check Your State’s Motorcycle Helmet Requirements


Before you purchase a motorcycle helmet, be sure to check your state’s helmet laws. If your state requires motorcycle helmets, it’s a safe bet that those helmets must be DOT approved; however, your state also might have other requirements in place.

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