Motor Cycle Helmet Ratings

13 June 2008

Fifty lives a year could be saved by ground-breaking motorcycle helmet safety ratings.

Ratings for 56 of the most popular full face helmets on the market were published after testing by SHARP - the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme set up in a world-first by the Department for Transport last year.

The SHARP tests - which award ratings of between one and five stars - showed that the safety performance of helmets can vary by as much as 70%. Jim Fitzpatrick said:

All helmets must meet minimum legal safety standards but the SHARP scheme uses a wider range of tests to provide riders with more information on how much protection a helmet can provide in a crash. The objective advice will help riders to chose the safest helmet suitable for them. For more information about the SHARP programme, visit the SHARP website.