Consumer Agency Finds 8 Out of 10 Motorcycle Helmets Inadequate in Impact Absorption

Performance Test Results of Products Sold on Online Shopping Malls

Investigation Results on the Impact Absorption of Motorcycle Helmets.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Among 10 motorcycle helmets sold on online shopping malls, 8 products were found to have insufficient shock absorption performance.

On the 18th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that, after testing the shock absorption performance of these 10 products, 8 were found to be non-compliant with the related standards set by the National Institute of Technology and Standards.

For riding helmets, the impact acceleration should not exceed 2943 m/s², and if an impact acceleration of 1472 m/s² or more occurs, the duration must be 4 ms (4 thousandths of a second) or less. However, these products showed impact accelerations up to 10,000 m/s² continuing for 4 ms, failing to meet the standards.

Among the 8 products judged non-compliant, 6 had received safety confirmation certification under the Electrical Appliances and Household Goods Safety Control Act. Accordingly, the Consumer Agency pointed out the need to strengthen post-management of certified products. Of the remaining 2 products, one was sold through overseas purchasing agents and was exempted from displaying safety confirmation certification due to a special legal exception.

The Consumer Agency stated, "Products that directly affect the life and safety of riders, such as motorcycle helmets, should be excluded from special exceptions and managed thoroughly for safety."

In this investigation, among the 8 businesses whose products failed to meet shock absorption standards, 6?excluding Analog Plus and Itor?announced improvement plans following the Consumer Agency’s corrective recommendations, including suspension of sales, exchanges, and refunds.

The Consumer Agency plans to request the National Institute of Technology and Standards to strengthen certification and post-management of motorcycle helmets and to exclude motorcycle helmets from the purchasing agent special exception.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.