The Brain Injury Association of Canada is calling for new standards for helmets used in alpine sports, and that helmets imported and sold are not currently meeting safety standards set by the Canadian Standards Association. This comes following the tragic death of a 16-year old boy this past holiday weekend.
Richard Kinar, association spokesperson said that at present most helmets do not meet Canadian standards. According to the CSA, international standards are not as strong as those set by in Canada since 2009. This has KineticShift asking whether the international standards should be reviewed – and not just for alpine and snow sports but for all sports.
[Via CTVNews: Ontario skiing death prompts renewed call for helmet standards]
We’ve seen much innovation in the way to measure helmet impact, and this isn’t just to determine what effect the impact had on the wearer but now the helmet as well. The reasoning is that with each significant hit or impact the protective value of that helmet actually decreases. This in turn means that a helmet that protected on one impact might not protect as well the next time. The Brain Injury Association of Canada noted recently that the lifespan of helmet is often overlooked and that proper helmet care should be part of a regular routine to make sure that the helmet provides maximum protection.