Most parents believe that buying a bike helmet — any helmet — protects their child from serious head injury in a crash. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that a significant portion of bike helmets sold online through Amazon and other e-commerce platforms do not meet the mandatory federal safety standard for bicycle helmets and may offer little to no real protection in a crash.
The Federal Standard and How Counterfeits Evade It
The federal mandatory standard for bicycle helmets requires that helmets pass impact attenuation tests that simulate crash forces. A helmet that passes these tests is certified to absorb a meaningful portion of the energy from a head impact at cycling speeds. A counterfeit or non-compliant helmet may look identical to a certified product — same shape, same foam, same straps — but use substandard materials that compress differently under impact or that fail to absorb enough energy to prevent a serious traumatic brain injury.
CPSC has issued multiple warnings against non-compliant helmets sold on Amazon by unknown sellers, including children’s helmets that fail mandatory impact testing, have excessively large vent holes that reduce structural integrity, or carry counterfeit safety certification marks.
What to Look For
- Every certified bicycle helmet sold in the United States must carry a label stating it meets the CPSC federal safety standard for bicycle helmets (16 CFR Part 1203). Look for this statement on the inside of the helmet.
- Purchase helmets from established brands with a physical retail presence rather than from unknown sellers on online marketplaces.
- Be cautious of unusually low prices for helmets from unfamiliar brands.
- Replace any helmet that has been involved in a crash — even if there is no visible damage. The foam liner compresses permanently on impact.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/bicycles/cpsc-urges-bicyclists-wear-helmets
