Motorcycle helmets, visors and goggles - useful information

Table of contents

• Introduction
• General Advice
• Helmets
• Visors and Goggles
• Marking Requirements for Motorcycle Helmets and Visors approved to UN ECE Regulation 22.05
• Helmets
• Visors
• Appendix A - List of ECE countries and their distinguishing numbers

Introduction

This document is a general summary of the legislative requirements for motor cycle helmets, visors and goggles.

The requirements for helmets are set out in full in "The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998" as amended by "The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) (Amendment) Regulations 2000"

The requirements for visors/goggles: "The Motor Cycles (Eye Protectors) Regulations 1998" and "The Motor Cycles (Eye Protectors) (Amendment) Regulations 2000".

These can be purchased from:
The Stationery Office Ltd,
PO Box 29,
St Crispins House,
Duke Street,
Norwich NR3 1PD
telephone: 0870 600 5522
fax: 0870 600 5533
e-mail: esupport@clicktso.com
or from their website ¹

Copies can also be seen on the HMSO website ²

British Standards and amendments may be obtained from any outlet operated by the British Standards Institution, or by post from:
BSI,
Customer Services,
389 Chiswick High Road,
London W4 4AL
telephone: 020 8996 9001
or from their website ³

Documents that comprise the relevant UNECE Regulation can be found on their website ⁴

¹ The Stationary Office website can be found at www.the-stationary-office.co.uk

² The HMSO website can be found at www.hmso.gov.uk

³ The BSI website can be found at www.bsi-global.com

⁴ UNECE Regulation 22.05 can be found at www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/22rv4e.pdf pdf 1,099kb.

General Advice

Helmets

When buying a helmet, look for one that complies with one of the following:

a. British Standard BS 6658:1985 (it will be marked with a British Standard 'kitemark'); or

b. UN ECE Regulation 22.05 (it will be marked with a UN 'E' mark - the first two digits of the approval number will be '05').

Helmets may also be sold if they comply with any standard accepted by an EEA State ⁵ which offers a level of protection which is equivalent to (i.e. the same as, or better than) British Standard BS 6658:1985 and are marked with a certification mark which is equivalent to the British Standard 'kitemark'. However, at the time of writing, we are not aware of any such standard or certification mark.

Helmets to these standards are prescribed in the Regulations as recommended for use.

For the avoidance of doubt, we do not consider UN ECE Regulation 22.04 to be equivalent to the British Standard because it does not contain a chin-guard test for full face helmets or a test for rotation-inducing forces caused by projections and surface friction.

If you are driving or riding on a 2-wheeled motorcycle on a road you must wear a helmet. Passengers in a sidecar don't have to wear a helmet and neither does a Sikh who is wearing a turban. Also, no helmet is needed if someone is pushing the motorcycle on foot.

You must wear a helmet which has been approved to one of the Br itish Standards listed in the table below (it will have a British Standard 'kitemark' and the number of the standard), or to UN ECE Regulation 22.05 (it will have a UN 'E' mark and the first two digits of the approval number will be '05'). (See section on marking for full details of the UN ECE marking requirements.)

Alternatively, you can wear other types of helmet which could reasonably be expected to give a similar, or greater, level of protection in an accident as British Standard BS 6658:1985 or UN ECE Regulation 22.05. However, you should seek confirmation from the supplier that the helmet does offer at least a similar level of protection. Check with your insurer that your insurance is not invalidated by wearing a helmet that does not comply with a standard listed in the Regulations.

British Standards Relating To Helmets

⁵ An EEA State is a member of the European Economic Area, which includes the 15 member states of the EC.

Visors and Goggles

When buying a visor, look for products that comply with one of the following:

Grade X in British Standard BS 4110:1979, Grades XA, YA or ZA in British Standard BS 4110:1979 as amended by AMD 3368, AMD 4060 and AMD 4360 (It will be marked with the number of the standard have the grade and the British Standard Kitemark).

In the case of Visors also look for approval to UNECE Regulation 22.05 (it will be marked with a UN 'E' mark and the first two digits of the approval number will be '05'). (See section on marking for full details of the UN ECE marking requirements.)

Visors may also be sold if they comply with any standard accepted by an EEA State ⁶ which offers a level of protection which is equivalent to (i.e. the same as, or better than) British Standard BS 4110:1979 and are marked with a certification mark which is equivalent to the British Standard 'kitemark'. However, at the time of writing, we are not aware of any such standard or certification mark.

In the case of goggles also look for approval to Council Directive 89/686/EEC as amended by 93/68/EEC and 96/58/EEC (see explanatory note). (They will be marked with a 'CE' mark).

Eye protectors first used before 1^st of April 1989 and fitted with lenses designed to correct a sight defect, transmit 50% or more of visible light and do not fly into fragments if fractured may also be used.

If you use a visor or goggles they must be approved to one of the appropriate standards above. Those visors marked "Daytime Use" or having the symbol with the same meaning should only be used in daytime.

Visors that transmit less than 50% of visible light do not fully comply with any of the standards above and can not legally be used on the road.

N.B. The British Standards Institution have superseded BS 4110:1979 with BS4110:1999 for visors and BS EN 1938 for goggles. Visors approved to BS4110:1999 would also satisfy BS4110:1979 and it's amendments. BS EN1938 is the national derivative of the harmonised European standard prepared for the Council Directive 89/686/EEC as amended.

⁶ An EEA State is a member of the European Economic Area, which includes the 15 member states of the EC.

Marking Requirements for Motorcycle Helmets and Visors approved to UN ECE Regulation 22.05

The following pages are a general summary of the legislative requirements for markings on protective motorcycle helmets and visors that comply with UNECE Regulation 22.05. Please note, marking requirements for helmets, visors and goggles that comply with British Standards can be found in the relevant BS standards available from the BSi.

The requirements are set out in ECE Regulation 22 as amended by the 05 series of amendments (ECE R 22.05) ⁷ .

NB. On the following pages, paragraph references in brackets refer to the appropriate paragraphs in UN ECE 22.05.

⁷ UNECE Reg. 22.05 can be found at www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/22rv4e.pdf

Helmets

The following markings must be included:

• The trade name or mark of the applicant and an indication of size. (Para 4.1.1.)
• If appropriate, an indication (by way of a marking on the lower face cover with the words "Does not protect chin from impacts" and/or the approved symbol, Figure 1 below) of the unsuitability of the lower face cover to offer any protection against impacts to the chin. (Para 4.1.1, 5.1.4.1.3, 6.2.)

Visors

The following markings must be included:

• The applicants trade name or mark. (Para 4.1.2, 4.2.)
• If appropriate, an indication (by way of a marking with the approve d symbol, see Figure 3 below, and/or the words "DAYTIME USE ONLY") of the unsuitability of the visor for use during the hours of darkness or in conditions of poor visibility. (Para 4.1.2, 4.2, 5.1.5.1.3, 5.2.4.1.3, 6.15.3.4.)
• An international approval mark consisting of a circle surrounding the letter "E" followed by the distinguishing number of th e country ⁹ which has granted approval and a reference alphanumerical number if approved with a helmet, or an approval number [note the first two digits of the approval number denotes the series of amendments under which approval was granted. See Figures 4 and 5 below. Currently only approvals to the 05 series of amendments are accepted by the UK] if approved separately. (Para 5.1.5, 5.1.8, 5.2.4, 5.2.7.)
• The marking shall be clearly legible, indelible, resistant to wear, in a readily accessible and visible place, and shall not be placed within the main visibility area. (Para 5.2.5, 5.2.6, 5.1.6, 5.1.7.)

 

Appendix A - List of ECE countries and their distinguishing numbers

ECE Distinguishing number	Country	Date of application of the regulation
E 1	Germany	7.5.84
E 2	France	16.5.95
E 3	Italy	3.6.77
E 4	Netherlands	1.6.72
E 5	Sweden	15.6.73
E 6	Belgium	1.6.72
E 7	Hungary	23.11.79
E 8	Czech Republic	26.5.95
E 9	Spain	3.12.76
E 10	Yugoslavia	15.1.88
E 11	United Kingdom 10	30.6.00
E 12	Austria	28.7.87
E 13	Luxembourg	1.5.83
E 14	Switzerland	2.7.82
E 15	------------------
E 16	Norway	21.2.88
E 17	Finland	13.2.78
E 18	Denmark	20.12.76
E 19	Romania	6.5.96
E 20	Poland	13.11.92
E 21	Portugal	24.3.98
E 22	Russian Federation	17.2.87
E 23	Greece	24.3.98
E 24	Ireland	24.3.98
E 25	Croatia	8.10.91
E 26	Slovenia	15.1.88
E 27	Slovakia	14.1.97
E 28	Belarus
E 29	Estonia	25.7.99
E 30	---------------
E 31	Bosnia And Herzegovina	6.3.92
E 32	Latvia	18.1.99
E 33	--------------
E 34	Bulgaria
E 35	--------------
E 36	Lithuania	29.3.02
E 37	Turkey	7.7.00
E 38	-------------
E 39	Azerbaijan
E 40	F.Y.R. Of Macedonia	17.9.91
E 41	-------------
E 42	European Community	24.3.98
E 43	Japan
E 44	-------------
E 45	Australia
E 46	Ukraine
E47	South Africa
E48	New Zealand	19.3.02