Road Safety

What Type of Helmet Should You Wear?

Always wear a helmet that is designed for the type of vehicle you are operating. Wearing a non-compliant helmet may not provide adequate protection.

Motorcycles, Mopeds, Motorized Scooters and Off-Road Vehicles
If you are operating or are a passenger on one of these vehicles, you must wear a helmet that complies with one of the following manufacturing standards:

• CAN-3-D230 of the Canadian Standards Association
• DOT FMVSS 218 of the U.S. Department of Transportation
• Specifications for Protective Headgear for Vehicular User Z90.1 of the American National Standards Institute
• Snell Memorial Foundation
• British Standards Institute
• ECE Regulation 22 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

If you are at the wheel or are a passenger on an off-road vehicle, or riding in a trailer or sled towed by the vehicle, if your helmet does not have a visor, you must wear safety goggles. A visor or safety goggles protect your eyes from dust, insects and small stones that can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. A visor offers added protection because it shields your eyes and face. That is why using a visor is highly recommended when operating a motorcycle.

For adequate protection, a visor or safety goggles must be:

• cleaned and maintained using a non-abrasive product;
• shatterproof;
• designed so as not to restrict your field of vision;
• designed to adapt correctly to the helmet or, in the case of goggles, to the contour of your eyes.

The visor should be securely anchored to the helmet and should not interfere with corrective eyeglasses.

If a peace officer asks to examine your helmet, you must comply with the request. Businesses specialized in helmet sales or rentals must supply helmets that comply with current manufacturing standards.

Power-Assisted Cycles
Operators of power-assisted cycles must wear a bicycle helmet that has a rigid outer shell, padding on the inside and a chin strap.
Helmets that comply with one of the following manufacturing standards are recommended:

• CAN/CSA-D113.2 of the Canadian Standards Association
• 16 CFR Part 1203 of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• ASTM F1447 or ASTM F1898 of the American Society for Testing and Materials
• EN 1078 of the European Committee for Standardization
• B-90 and B-95 of the Snell Memorial Foundation

A bicycle helmet that does not comply with one of these manufacturing standards may not offer adequate protection.

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