On October 1st you’ll be able to purchase a new helmet with a 2015 Snell Certification. The Snell Memorial Foundation is committed to the research, education, testing and development of helmet safety standards. The foundation was founded in 1957 and issued its first certification in 1959.
While it doesn’t look like much, this photo shows one of the first helmet tests. The Snell Memorial Foundation was founded in honor of Pete Snell who died in a racing accident in 1956. His friend, George Snively, M.D., SCCA Hall of Fame member, founded the Foundation in his honor. Snell is the only independent non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to helmet safety standards in the world.
With the upcoming release of new Snell Certifications, remember that not every helmet provides the same protection. Never take it for granted — the risk of head trauma is not worth saving a couple bucks on a helmet.
Photo and information compiled from the February 2011 issue of SportsCar and SMF.org.