Revamped Labels to Help Curb Sale of Unsafe Helmets

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that the use of novelty helmets is a growing highway safety problem. New labeling requirements should make it harder for vendors to sell motorcycle helmets that do not meet federal standards, as well as make it easier for police to spot noncompliant helmets on riders. Novelty helmets have thin linings that are not able to absorb much energy and do not adequately protect the head. Often the chin straps are weak and come undone in a crash. Despite these dangers, more and more riders are choosing novelty helmets over real helmets. The percentage of riders using helmets that met federal standards fell to 54 percent in 2010 from 67 percent in 2009 while the percentage of those using noncompliant helmets rose to 14% in 2010 from 9 percent in 2009. The use of novelty helmets has doubled to 22 percent in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Helmets that meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) federal standards can be identified by a sticker on the back of the helmet with the letters "DOT". However, counterfeit stickers are easy to obtain and retailers provide them to buyers of novelty helmets. New labels will be required beginning in May 2013 and these new labels will have more information on them, making it harder to counterfeit them. These new labels will make it easier to enforce helmet laws. Many states with helmet laws specifically require helmets that meet DOT standards. For the states that don't, the updated labels may encourage them to rewrite their helmet laws to specify that DOT compliant helmets be used.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0018988X
• Publication Date: 2011-7-19

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: p. 6
• Serial:
  • Status Report
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
  • ISSN: 0018-988X
  • Serial URL: https://www.iihs.org/status-report/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Highway safety; Human factors in crashes; Labeling; Motorcycle crashes; Motorcycle driving; Motorcycle helmets; Regulations; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Novelty helmets
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01350052
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 18 2011 8:49AM