Virginia Tech helmet lab updates safety ratings system, goal to reduce head injuries

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) Anyone working in Virginia Tech’s helmet lab is committed to helping athletes of the future minimize the risk of head injuries.

“Especially from a young age, these kids can’t go play out their dreams because they have bad injuries from a young age,” rising junior Mechanical Engineering major Ryan Ordway, who works in the helmet lab, said. “Preventing that is a big deal.”

Since 2011, the lab has released headgear ratings on a five-star scale to see which helmets are the safest. The goal for manufacturers is to make helmets with a five-star rating.

The problem. Everyone got good at making five-star helmets. It essentially flooded the market.

“We have better helmets today than we did before. However, it’s a little less useful to consumers,” helmet lab director Steve Rowson said. “If everything is rated as five stars, that’s not really telling consumers which is best. So, we’ve raised the bar for what a five-star helmet is.”

The new ratings system applies to both youth and varsity football helmets and bicycle helmets.

Now, the ratings are based on the helmets that perform best on a range of tests in the lab. Helmets that scored in the top half of tests received at least a four-star rating. But the ones that scored the highest grades while minimizing the risk of brain injury are now five-stars.

The updated ratings can be found on the lab’s website.

“The helmet you choose makes a big difference,” Rowson said. “If we look at the range performance in the market, you can lower your risk by half, in terms of whether or not you’re likely to sustain a concussion.”

Rowson wants to emphasize that any helmet that has a four or five-star rating will keep you the safest.