Are there any studies comparing the effectiveness of inexpensive versus more expensive bicycle helmets?
A. Yes. The following information was shared with the SRTS community by Paula Bawer, Bicycle and SRTS Program Manager with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Safety Countermeasures Division. The head of this study is her “go to” person in bike helmet issues. Lab Tests of Cheap and Expensive Bike Helmets Results are virtually identical. We submitted samples of six helmet models to a leading U.S. test lab: three in the $150+ range and three under $20. The impact test results were virtually identical. There were very few differences in performance among the helmets. Our conclusion: when you pay more for a helmet you may get an easier fit, more vents and snazzier graphics. But the basic impact protection of the cheap helmets we tested equaled the expensive ones. The results are a testimony to the effectiveness of our legally-required CPSC helmet standard. Although our sample was small, the testing indicates that the consumer can shop for a bicycle helmet in the US m
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