Helmets that ‘increase chance of death’ seized

A NUMBER of helmets which were on sale in Peterborough have been seized by Trading Standards for being unfit for purpose.

Bikers who have purchased a Chinese Jiekai helmet, model JK 100 or JK 1000, are urged to stop using it immediately and return it to their supplier.

Tests on some of the recovered helmets found they failed impact tests, failed to absorb energy and therefore give proper protection to the wearer, and the chin straps could be pulled apart by hand.

Peter Stonely, Principal Trading Standards Officer, said: ‘As someone who does ride a motorcycle I am shocked by these results.

‘They failed impact tests, being destroyed within two impacts, rather the full five it should take.

‘This would give a rider almost no protection in a crash, increasing the chance of brain injury or death.

‘Wearing them would give the rider a sense of safety, which the helmet would not back up.

‘You may as well not wear a helmet, they are that dangerous.’

'If in doubt, do not use these helmets, they will not meet the legal standards, so you are breaking the law by wearing them and they put you at real risk of unnecessary injury in the event of an accident.'