Most Thai Helmets Substandard

[george]

Most helmets substandard

Seventy per cent of motorcycle crash helmets on the market are substandard, researchers concluded from a study of road-safety statistics for last year.

The vast majority of helmets did not meet requirements set by the Office of Industrial Standards, Prof Weera Kasantikun said, citing a survey on road safety for 2003 conducted as part of the “Wear Crash Helmet” project.

The survey covered 1,082 road accidents. Most motorcyclists were males between the ages of 18 and 35, and 15 per cent were under 18, he said.

In the provinces, 20 per cent of motorcyclists do not wear helmets at all, said Weera of Silpakorn Fine Art University’s faculty of pharmacy, who heads the project.

In substandard helmets, the foam that functions as a protective barrier on impact was usually a mere 1.5-cm thick, Weera said.

Also, the covers of most crash helmets are made from low-quality plastic. This is why the products can be sold for between Bt90 and Bt100 apiece, he said.

Proper helmets come in lightweight fibreglass and sell for Bt300 each, and higher-quality ones retail for between Bt500 and Bt1,000, Weera said.

It has been suggested that the Transport Ministry, in cooperation with the private sector, launch an “Ua Athorn” helmet scheme and distribute 10,000 units to young people in the provinces, he said.

An estimated Bt200 million in public funds will be needed for the purpose and a study will follow so it is known whether motorcyclists actually use them while riding, Weera said.

--The Nation 2004-02-04

[megashox]

Also the heads that wear them!

[cdnvic]

Just imagine all the elbow injuries caused by the helmets being dangled from them not holding up in a crash

cv

[markt]

Most helmets substandard

I hope they mean crashhelmets!

[Edward B]

Most helmets substandard

Seventy per cent of motorcycle crash helmets on the market are substandard, researchers concluded from a study of road-safety statistics for last year.

In the provinces, 20 per cent of motorcyclists do not wear helmets at all

That explains why 80% of motorcyclists (and over 90% of passengers*) don't wear them!

* We carried out our own independent suurvey last year (yet to be published).