Helmet standards clashes get a high-level hearing
Only a couple of lines in the latest communique from the Transport and Infrastructure Council, but a development nonethelessThe fourth meeting of the Transport and Infrastructure Council in Adelaide on November 6 has given the green light to "resolve inconsistencies in standards for the sale and use of motorcycle helmets and agreed an update on progress would be provided to the next meeting".
The council, which comprises transport, infrastructure and planning ministers from the commonwealth, states and territories and New Zealand, as well as the Australian Local Government Association, made the pledge in a communique released after the conference,
Prior to the meeting, the chairman of the Australian Motorcycle Council (AMC), Peter Baulch, called on the council to support nationally consistent standards for the sale and use of motorcycle helmets.
"Current standards for motorcycle helmets are inconsistent across state jurisdictions, meaning a rider could leave one state with a perfectly legal helmet and enter another state, breaking the law," said Baulch. "The confusion and frustration caused by this inconsistency within the motorcycle community, simply makes it sensible that we should have uniform requirements across all states that are in line with current advice in terms of safety.
"The commonwealth, through the ACCC, is responsible for the standards that relate to the sale of helmets, whereas each state is responsible for the standards that relate to use.
"The Commonwealth and ACCC have, since 2012, been undertaking a review of the sale of helmets and, as such, some states have put off updating their laws for use in order to align with the outcome of the review.
"Conversely, some states have updated their standards to meet the latest European guidelines but riders are unable to purchase helmets that meet these European standards due to the outdated federal laws, making the sale of these newly-approved helmets illegal.
"Delays stemming from the Federal Government/ACCC review are frustrating and I believe transport agencies across all states can work together to resolve this issue quickly."
The Transport and Infrastructure Council meets about every six months. To read the November 6 communique, clock here.
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