A lethal batch of motorcycle helmets were seized by UK trading standards officers recently, who said the helmets were so dangerous it would be like not wearing head protection at all.
Bikers buying cheap helmets online should be on the lookout for helmets labeled “jiekai” “JK 100” or “JK 1000”, as well as other motorcycle helmets listed at prices that seem too good to be true.
According to Peter Stonely, a Principal Trading Standards Officer, the helmets “would give a rider almost no protection in a crash, increasing the chance of brain injury or death”, and wearing the helmets “would give the rider a sense of safety, which the helmet would not back up”.
Any riders who have recently purchased the helmet models should stop using them immediately.
When shopping for motorcycle helmets online, be sure they are DOT-approved. A DOT-approved sticker means they have passed a series of tests and trials to achieve the safety standards set by the Department of Transportation. It also means they are legal, since many states require a DOT-approved helmet to ride.