Riders oppose action against unsafe helmets

Many motorcycle riders are wearing helmets lacking safety certification, a huge risk given the fact that more than 1,000 riders were killed in accidents last year.

The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) says most of the helmets in the market do not have quality certification.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said the sale of helmets that do not pass SLSI quality certification would be banned from this month to reduce the rising number of fatalities involving motorcycles.

SLSI officials said that following the announcement just a few applications for certification had been received, from local manufacturers of helmets.

“The seriousness of the situation is very high as most of the helmets sold in the country are imported and we haven’t received any application from the importers of helmets,” said SLSI Director-General Gamini Dharmawardena.

“We doubt that most of the helmets that are presently sold inside the country lacks the quality to pass the certification tests,” he said.

Although all imports have to be checked by the SLSI for quality, some imports come in unnoticed.

There are complaints from some motorcyclists and sellers of helmets that the requirement for SLS517 certification sends up the price of helmets.

The Secretary of the Ceylon Motorcyclists Association, Chirantha Amarasinghe, said the certification process would increase helmet prices. Motorists interviewed also objected to shelling out more money for their helmets. Colombo sellers said SLSI-certified helmets would be sold at a higher price compared to non-certified helmets.

“At present there are insufficient technological resources to give helmets SLSI certification so the manufacturers have to send their samples abroad for certification and the cost for this will have to be paid by the manufacturers themselves,” explained Mr. Amarasinghe.

The SLSI agrees the certification process will result in a price hike.

There is also confusion over the lack of procedures to ensure that only SLSI-certified helmets are available for sale. “We have not planned what action can be taken against dealers who sell helmets without SLSI certificates. We are having a meeting on Monday and we will make a decision after that,” CAA Director of Consumer Affairs and Information Chandrika Tilakaratne, said.