Parents have been questioning for some time the provision of safety equipment for the cadet type junior, esp the very small ones.
Most manufacturers do very few shell sizes and will pad out for the extremely small sizes. The working group looking into junior safety gear for the junior classes (led by Prof Syd Watkins, I believe), led to a new specification of helmet which came in about a year ago. Until there were a few manufacturers making helmets in the new spec, use of them was advisory. Even now, there is an 18 month lead in time ASSUMING IT IS PASSED BY KSC AND THE COUNCIL.
Now, noises have been made about the new helmet spec for well over a year now and there have been updates in karting mag and elsewhere - so it shouldn't come as a shock that the helmet spec would have been mandated at some point. It also shouldn't come as a shock that helmet specs change as testing methods and their effectiveness evolves.
It would be cheaper to use the old cloth skull caps from the old days of motorsport, but it wouldn't be safe would it? And who in their right mind would use inadequate safety equipment.
Golden rule on buying new helmets is never EVER ask the retailer about legislation on helmets. John Ryan at the MSA or Graham Smith at ABkC will give impartial advice on upcoming potential for change. It is up to you what you do with it.
/rant
|
|