To receive Snell certification, helmets are tested in four performance areas; Energy Management, Environmental Resistance, Retention System, and Quality Control. In Other words, Snell tests the helmet's ability to shrug off all of the things likely to happen to it prior to and during an actual crash. Snell constantly selects examples - at random in the marketplace - of certified helmets to test for compliance with the Standard. On the other hand, helmets meeting only the minimum D.O.T. requirements can be self-certified by the manufacturer, with possibly no outside testing, which can lead to wide discrepancies in performances.

Think about it, if you're going to wear a helmet at all doesn't it make sense to wear one that meets the best standards available - SNELL.

SNELL M2000 - 2000 Standards for Motorcycle Protective Headgear

There are four reasons for you to be interested in this standard:

	The use of motorcycles and other motorized vehicles imposes risks of death or permanent impairment du to head injury.
	The proper use of protective helmets can minimize the risk of death or permanent impairment.
	The protective capacity of a helmet is difficult to measure, particularly at the time of purchase or use.

Four of the MOST Critical Elements that SNELL Test for:

	Impact Management - How well the helmet protects against collisions with large objects.
	Helmet Positional Stability - Whether the helmet will be in place, on the head, when it's needed.
	Retention System Strength - Whether the chin straps are sufficiently strong to hold the helmet throughout a head impact.
	Extent of Protection - The area of the head protected by the helmet.

  In order to continuously monitor the quality of helmets being sold to the public, Snell purchases and tests samples of currently certified helmets from the marketplace. These helmets are tested only in Snell labs by Snell technicians. Should a currently certified helmet fail, the helmet manufacturer must take corrective action to Snell's satisfaction.