The Department for Transport’s SHARP helmet rating scheme has been around for 15 years now, awarding simple star ratings to helmets based on the DfT’s own test criteria. The test grabbed a lot of headlines when launched, but has fallen off the radar recently.
But now the Transport Research Laboratory and DfT are consulting on how to update the SHARP test in the light of more recent research into head injuries and helmet design. One aspect where the scientists are seeking to improve SHARP is in the area of rotational forces experienced in real-world impacts. The TRL has also found that up to 25% of bikers wear incorrectly-sized helmets, increasing the chance of a helmet coming off in a crash. Both bodies are keen to improve the SHARP regime in light of all the recent findings – and TRL will collect, review and evaluate all of the data to feed back to the SHARP system.