DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT News Release (181) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 27 November 2008
Safety ratings for
the most popular flip-front motorcycle helmets were announced
today by SHARP, the Department for Transport's Safety Helmet
Assessment and Rating Programme.
The 20 helmets are the first flip-front models to be rated under
the scheme and bring the total number of helmets assessed by SHARP
- which launched in June 2008 after research showed it could save
50 lives a year - to 96.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said:
"Motorcyclists are the single most vulnerable group on
Britain's roads today. They account for just 1% of all road
traffic, but for 20% of all those killed on the roads last year.
"If all riders wore the safest helmets available 50 lives
could be saved each year. We started the SHARP scheme to ensure
that all riders have the best possible independent safety
information on which to base their helmet choice. That is why I
delighted today to be announcing SHARP's first set of ratings
for flip-front helmets.
"Full face and flip-front helmets from across a wide price
range and from a variety of manufacturers have received four or
five stars - so all riders should be able to find a high-scoring
helmet in a size and style that fits them and at a price they want
to pay."
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 choose the safest
helmet suitable for them. 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%.
The new ratings were launched today at the NEC Motorcycle Show.
For more information about the SHARP programme, visit the SHARP
website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/sharp.
Notes to Editors
1. The ratings published today are:
Make Model Rating
AGV Longway 4 Airoh Matisse RS 2
BMW System 5 5 Caberg Trip 5
Justissimo GT 4 Duchinni D601 1
G-MAC Concept 3 Grex RF2 4
KBC FFR 1 Lazer Granville 4
Revolution 4 Nolan N103 4
N102 4 ROOF Boxer 4
Schuberth C2 4 Shark Openline 3
Evoline 4 Shoei Multitech 3
Viper RS V121 3 RS RS101 4
2. All final results of SHARP testing can be found at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/sharp.
3. The SHARP tests and assessments are valid for all types of
helmet and further results will be released on a rolling basis.
Full face helmets represent the largest part of the market
(approx. 80%), but 'flip front' style helmets are
gaining in popularity and therefore, SHARP has assessed these
before completing the remaining full face helmets. Open face
helmets will be considered later.
4. Motorcyclists are one of our most vulnerable road user groups.
In 2007, 24,381 motorcyclists were injured in accidents, with 588
being killed.
5. Head injuries occur in 80% of all motorcyclist fatalities and
in 70% of these the head injury is the most serious.
6. Currently no comparative rating system is available on
motorcycle helmets anywhere in the world.
7. Helmets sold in the UK must meet the minimum standards of UN
ECE Regulation 22.05 or comply with British Standard 6658:1985.
SHARP assesses the extent to which helmets offer protection above
these minimum requirements.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport
Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk