Helmet law question.

[16hypen3sp]

Hey everyone,

I have a question about the helmet law here in AB.

Division 4 of the Vehicle Equipment Reg deals with helmet law. The part in question is 108 (3):


(3) A safety helmet must have the mark or label of the organization in subsection (2) indicating that the safety helmet met one or more of the specifications required on the date on which it was manufactured.

Last year, I was riding my Highball and I had my Sena attached to my helmet. I had inadvertently covered up the DOT label on my helmet in the process of attaching the comm unit.

So I'm out for a ride and I'm cruising around when I get pulled over by a Peace Officer. He tells me that it's against the law to HIDE the DOT label. Says it has to be visible on the exterior of the helmet at all times. I then asked about the ECE labels (Euro helmets WITHOUT DOT labels - I also own one of those) that are sewn into the inside of the chin strap with no visible markings on the exterior. He said he had never come across one before.

I was going to push the interaction with the officer pretty far because I thought he was wrong but then he started checking out my bike and said he was a fellow rider and we had just general motorcycle conversation so I just dropped it.

I moved my Sena off of the label and it's been like that ever since. There was no ticket given during this traffic stop.

In terms of this law tho, does the label really need to be visible at all times? My ROOF helmet isn't DOT certified, it only has the ECE label thats attached to the chin strap - no exterior labels or markings or anything.

[born2workoncars]

At motorcycle school they educated us that the dot sticker must be present, but never would I imagine getting pulled over for it. I would have a hard time taking myself seriously if that is how I spent my time detaining the public.

[mr2mike]

Same as in minor hockey. Need to have the CSA approved sticker on the helmet or you can basically get called to leave the game for illegal equipment.

Shady move but I've seen an opposition coach call it.

[MR2-3SGTE]

From what I've been told, helmets in America and Canada must be DOT compliant and have a visible label. Your euro helmet would not be legal. ECE helmets purchased from here would be DOT approved as well as ECE. I'm assuming that helmet was not made for the north american market

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by born2workoncars
At motorcycle school they educated us that the dot sticker must be present, but never would I imagine getting pulled over for it. I would have a hard time taking myself seriously if that is how I spent my time detaining the public.

Yah, it was lame but he was a nice enough guy.


Originally posted by mr2mike
Same as in minor hockey. Need to have the CSA approved sticker on the helmet or you can basically get called to leave the game for illegal equipment.

Shady move but I've seen an opposition coach call it.

Well, for motorcycles, the law says it has to meet ONE of the standards. CSA is included in the list, but so is DOT, Snell, ECE. The question is, does it have to be visible to the police at all times.



Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
From what I've been told, helmets in America and Canada must be DOT compliant and have a visible label. Your euro helmet would not be legal. ECE helmets purchased from here would be DOT approved as well as ECE. I'm assuming that helmet was not made for the north american market

Alberta recognizes the following helmet standards:

(a) CSA Standard CAN3-D230-M85, Protective Headgear in
Motor Vehicle Applications;

(b) Standard No. 218; Motorcycle helmets under Part 571.218
of the Code of Federal Regulations (United States), Title
49;

(c) British Standards Institution Standard BS 6658: 1985,
Specification for protective helmets for vehicle users;

(d) Snell Memorial Foundation 2000 Standard For Protective
Headgear, For Use with Motorcycles and Other Motorized
Vehicles;

(e) Snell Memorial Foundation 2005 Standard For Protective
Headgear, For Use with Motorcycles and Other Motorized
Vehicles;

(f) Snell Memorial Foundation 2010 Standard For Protective
Headgear, For Use with Motorcycles and Other Motorized
Vehicles;

(g) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Regulation 22-05, Uniform provisions concerning the
approval of protective helmets and their visors for drivers
and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds. (ECE)

It has to meet ONE of those standards. So a helmet in Canada doesn't legally need to be DOT certified. It can be any of those listed.

And yah, I bought my ROOF helmet in Italy. It is only ECE certified. The manufacturer didn't see a market in NA... so only opted for ECE.


But the question remains... Visible at all times? It says marked, which all my helmets are, but I don't really see anything about the labels visibility.

[J-hop]

Yea I can't see anywhere that the sticker actually has to be visible while riding.

[JVR1]

I think the cop was just trying rattle you a bit to see if he could catch you on anything else so good job not pursuing it further.

[16hypen3sp]

Yah I don't see how it needs to be visible. Unless I'm missing something.

Just wanted to see what you guys thought about it.

[Shlade]

Where was it that you got pulled over?

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by Shlade
Where was it that you got pulled over?

I got pulled over in Red Deer. I was traveling southbound on Gaetz Ave. It was a Red Deer City Peace Officer - Traffic Enforcement that pulled me over.

[Shlade]

Originally posted by 16hypen3sp


I got pulled over in Red Deer. I was traveling southbound on Gaetz Ave. It was a Red Deer City Peace Officer - Traffic Enforcement that pulled me over.

Ah ok. I've got a few buddies that do traffic enforcement in a few towns around Alberta and they've never pulled over anybody for not having a DOT sticker on their helmet... petty stop in my opinion.