Colleges Taking Steps Towards Helmet Safety

We know that helmets play a significant role in preventing severe injuries in college football. However, they have not always been a complete deterrent of concussions and other problems. Now, though, college programs are taking proactive steps to ensure helmet safety for players on their teams.

Over the last decade, more research and educational materials have surfaced, providing college football teams with additional information regarding helmet manufacturers and safety. Some programs opt to use Riddell helmets, while there are other companies with which schools are more comfortable.

It’s the school’s equipment manager who takes a lot of the steps to ensure their program picks the right helmets, provides a custom fit for each player, and continuously checks the helmets for problems. Some schools have multiple color helmets for use throughout the season. It is the equipment manager’s job to ensure roughly 200+ helmets are safe for use.

The Use of Guardian Caps

Many programs implement “Guardian Caps” for use during practice. This piece of equipment is a foam-shell cap that goes over a player’s helmet to lessen the impact of certain hits. Of course, concussions can still occur because this type of injury only requires the player’s brain to rattle in his skull, but the Guardian Cap may help.

Beyond this, equipment managers and programs look into safety ratings for helmets when deciding on a brand. Using testing by Virginia Tech, many programs rely on these standards to recognize the most effective helmets in keeping their players safe.

Helmet manufacturers and programs alike should continue their focus on player safety, implementing new technology into helmets to limit the impact of collisions. The programs must also recognize any cracks a helmet may sustain during gameplay. Cracks can make a player vulnerable to significant harm in a big hit.

At Shrader & Associates, L.L.P., we work to help former NCAA football players who suffer concussions. We know where negligence may play a role, and our sports concussion attorneys are ready to represent you in complex legal matters.

Call us today at (877) 958-7920.