A further 25 motorcycle helmets have been rated by SHARP – the DfT’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme – taking the total number of ratings published to 175.
Paul Clark, road safety minister, said: "If all riders wore the safest helmets available 50 lives could be saved each year.
"By providing the best safety information through SHARP, reminding drivers of the importance of looking out for bikes and promoting further training and safe riding through the THINK! Motorcycle Academy, I hope we can make the roads safer for motorcyclists."
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 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%. With helmets across a wide price range scoring highly, all riders should be able to find a high performing helmet in a size and style that fits them – and at a price they want to pay.
For more information about the SHARP programme visit: http://www.direct.gov.uk/sharp.
Where is the research to show that 50 lives a year would be saved? I would like to quote any such info in future press releases.
Vince Morley – RSO, Milton Keynes
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