So-called “helmet quality tests” videos have been circulating online recently, probably fueled by the so-called "helmet wars" between competing brands.

Unfortunately, the methods employed in these tests are not an accurate simulation of an impact. Mostly, these videos show people smashing the top (crown) of the helmets with a hammer.

But according to the diagram of Dr. Dietmar Otte, who is the head of the accident research department at Hanover Medical School, only 0.4 percent of impacts occur on the top of the helmet.

Hanover found that more than 34 percent of the time, it is the chin area that bears the brunt of a crash.

Fruit to the rescue

Ideally, the transportation or health sector of the government should be doing the motorcycle helmet testing for the safety of the consumers.

But sadly, we are left to our own devices on these matters. So, if you would like to test the quality of your helmet, I suggest that you use the watermelon method:

1. Get a watermelon from a reliable source. Make sure that it is in good condition and the inside is still intact (rotten or previously dropped watermelons need not apply). It should fit inside the helmet snugly.
2. Drop the helmet face down from a height of six feet. After which, check the watermelon for damage. You may also slice open the watermelon to check if the inside is intact.

The sturdy exterior of the fruit represents your skull, while the softer inside represents your brain. The idea is not to be focused on what the impact does to your helmet, but on how it protects what’s inside. 

Of course, there more scientific ways of testing, but this method is a practical hack for us regular folks.

One crash only

Keep in mind that all helmets are designed to absorb an impact only once.

So, once a helmet is already dropped or smashed, it loses its effectiveness in protecting your head from injury.

Most helmets also have a service life of five years. Don’t scrimp on your own safety and invest in good quality helmets from reputable brands.

You would also save yourself from the hassle of dissecting watermelons.   

Have you ever had a helmet that spared you from serious head injury?

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