Would making the NOCSAE test more severe produce helmets which perform better in the field?
The SI value is a pass/fail threshold which is based on a number of scientifc studies, but the data do not support using the SI numbers as a ‘sliding scale’, such that lower numbers reduce or prevent more injuries than highher numbers.For example, there is no way to determine whether a reduction of 200 SI units would result in measurable protective improvement in a helmet for al types of petential injuries. For example, it is not accurate to say that a helmet with an overall SI average of 600 is measurably better than a helmet with an overall SI average of 500. Once the helmet performs below the 1200 SI threshold, it meets the standard. Most new and recently reconditioned helmets test far below the threshold, generally averaging in the 600-800 SI range. The ideal SI value for reducing the occurrence of one type of injury at low level hits may not be the same value for a higher impact force.
