Implications for Industry
Working Group 3’s primary output is the proposal of a new bicycle helmet test method, which considers tangential helmet impact and advanced head injury criteria. This progress will allow enhanced protection of bicyclist’s heads.
The novel test method can be, and already is, considered to be current by the industry. New helmet design can now be evaluated under tangential head impact conditions. In this domain, no less than three helmet evaluation programmes have already be launched in Germany, France and Sweden.
With both improved testing and refined pass/fail criteria, helmets can be designed in a more effective way. This, in turn, can have a positive impact on the general perception of helmet efficacy, and thereby help improve helmet usage amongst cyclists. Most importantly, the improved helmet design can significantly reduce serious head injury in accidents.
