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Crash-testing of helmet accessories to be included in the new ECE Standards

Accessories will now play within the equation, as it could alter the shell’s profile and its performance during a crash.

Bryan Aaron Rivera Bryan Aaron Rivera on Jul 24, 2020
Helmet rider safety

Based on the new Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) certification process, helmets will now undergo impact tests at oblique angles, this is mainly due to the ubiquity of helmet accessories such as bluetooth communicators and action cameras. The governing body is set to evaluate the protection properties at a 45-degree angle collision. The said test will ensure that the helmet mitigates rotational forces on the rider’s head. 

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The latest ECE standards will vastly overhaul the helmet testing apparatus and will utilize new procedures. Before the total revision in July 2023, the new rules will coexist with the current ECE 22.05 regulations and it will apply to 47 countries. Notably, accessories will now play within the equation, as it could alter the shell’s profile and its performance during a crash.

In comparison with the past test procedure, the only factor being assessed is the head-on impacts which avoid the accessories mounted to the rim of the helmet. Now, they aim to assess both helmets with and without accessories. Given the new practice, testers can now identify how the add ons affect the protection factor of the helmet during a crash.

Apart from the following guideline stated above, it also says that no model should be altered through drilling and removing parts just to be able to support helmet-mounted accessories. To add to this accessories must also be fitted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Moreover, only approved accessories will be accepted during the test and the use of non-approved accessories will invalidate the test and receive no homologation.

These accessories are indeed considerable necessities for the riders of today. That’s why the United Nations had to take them into consideration when releasing the latest Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) 22.06 standards.

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