The Golden Standard for Helmets Tests(1/2)

Those who care about motorcycle safety request the Snell seal for approval

The staff of the Snell Memorial Foundation is dedicated to finding failure. Helmet failure, that is. At the nonprofit's offices,technicians perform what helmet makers and retailers consider the most rigorous testing in the industry to weed out products that won't protect the heads of motorcycle riders and race car drivers. "I always recommend Snell," said Dwight Stratton, who runs a motorcycle safety-training program in California and whose Snell-protected head survived a crash six years ago. "I prefer Snell because they do better testing."
Helmet manufacturers aren't required to submit their products for the Snell testing, [but] DOT-certified helmets are required attire for motorcyclists in many states. The DOT does very little testing and relies on manufacturers using the honor system to meet its standards. No one would estimate how much a Snell recommend adds to the retail price of a helmet. However, J.D. Dodge, manager of the Helmet Source, a motorcycle helmet and clothing store said his DOT-approved full-face helmets start at about $70, with Snell-certified models beginning at $140 and climbing to more than $700.
Exhaustive testing makes the difference
Part of that price difference comes from the exhaustive testing that takes place. Technicians repeatedly drop motorcycle helmets from 10 feet onto steel orbs to test their protective qualities.

Sharp projectiles simulating rocks are slammed into the helmets to see if they pierce the plastic covering foam layer and protective liner. A weight jerks down on chinstraps to test the strength of stitching, rivets or D-rings that hold the straps in place. Technicians even fire a pellet gun at a helmet's faceplate to test its ability to withstand gravel thrown up by other vehicles.
"Our goal is to fail any helmet that doesn't deserve a place in our certification program," said Hong Zhang, director of education for the 50-year-old foundation.

Vocabulary Focus

gold standard (n phr) a model of excellence by which everything else is judged
weed out (phr v) to get rid of things not wanted
the honor system (n phr) a system under which people are expected to be honest without direct supervision in situations that might allow for dishonest behavior
retail price (n phr) the undiscounted selling price at which an item is offered to the pubiic

Specialized terms

DOT (abbr) 美国交通部 the U.S. Department of Transportation, the agency in charge of national transportation programs
orb (n) 球状物 something in the shape of a sphere
rivet (n) 铆钉 a metal pin used to fasten flat pieces of metal or other thick materials such as leather
D-ring (n) D形环 a ring, usually metal, shaped like the letter "D" and used to close or secure objects

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