Of the numerous pieces of safety gear available for the young rider, none is as important as the helmet. To the vast majority of the readers of this article, that goes without saying.

Unfortunately, according to a CPSC survey only about a third of ATVers always wear a helmet, and sadly a third never wear a helmet. They also go on to cite that three-quarters of those that suffered head injuries were not wearing a helmet. But for many of us who do have the insight to appreciate the invaluable merit of purchasing a helmet for our children, there are many aspects to helmet design that are overlooked and ought to be considered such as proper sizing and safety rating.

And to help celebrate their 50th year building helmets, they've introduced an all new Moto Jr. with great looking new graphics, as well as replicas of both McGrath's and Metzger's designs.

Aesthetic design aside, one of the first key design elements Bell points out is that their Jr. helmet is specifically designed for the youth rider. The lightweight composite shell is smaller than the full-size model, which will help keep a young rider's neck fatigue to a minimum. Bell is also quick to point out that often times budget-minded parents are inclined to over-size their child helmet so as to get an extra year or two of use out of it.

Proper fit is absolutely key to maximizing protection, and too large a helmet can defeat its purpose. This is especially important in the younger years when children's necks are not as developed and an unduly large adult helmet can risk neck injury. An additional feature of Bell's youth helmet is that the bottom edge sits higher away from the shoulders which helps prevent collarbone injuries commonly found with children using adult sized helmets. 

Since head shape can vary, test fit the helmet you intend to buy before making your purchase. Gently pull the chinstraps outward just enough to spread the helmet as you ease it over the child's head. If you can pull the helmet on without having to spread the helmet, the helmet is too big, will not fit right, and should not be worn.

Then, fasten the chinstrap so it is snug with the mouth closed, and actually a bit uncomfortable to open the mouth. Grab the helmet with both hands and try to move the helmet forward and backward and from side to side. The helmet fits right if the skin moves with the liner of the helmet.

Among the dozens of other youth helmet manufacturers in the market today, Bell is one of the few whose helmet is Snell approved. All helmets must be at least DOT approved, but the more rigorous Snell rating is voluntary. One of the most significant differences (in the context of off-road helmets) is that the Snell test essentially drops their helmet onto an anvil with a headform that weighs twice as much, and then limits maximum impact deceleration of the headform to a quarter less (300g's versus 400g's).

That means that for a given impact, way more energy is being absorbed by the Snell helmet, and way less is being transferred to the rider's head. Bell believes this extra length is significant, and produces their youth helmet with the Snell rating.