You should replace your helmet anytime you’re in an accident, whether the impact is severe or minor. Even if you don’t see any damage, the inside material of the helmet where impact occurred could have been compromised.
In addition, experts recommend replacing your helmet every five years or sooner. Time takes its toll on the material properties of a helmet mainly because of small dings and bumps as well as the effects of temperature variations that occur over time, expanding and compressing the materials over and over again. Another reason to regularly exchange your helmet is the ongoing improvement in helmet technology, which sometimes is not obvious to the public. So although there is a range of issues that might make an earlier replacement necessary, 5 years is the maximum time we recommend waiting before replacing a helmet.
