§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many motor cyclists were involved in accidents due to rebreathing while wearing integral crash helmets during each of the past five years for which records are available;
(2) how may motor cyclists were killed and how many injured in accidents due to rebreathing while wearing integral crash helmets during each of the past five years for which records are available;
(3) whether he will promote research into the danger of rebreathing by motor cyclists wearing integral crash helmets;
(4) whether he will introduce legislation to require those who manufacture, import or supply integral crash helmets to attach a label to each helmet warning of the danger of rebreathing especially if worn with a scarf or balaclava helmet.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe national records of road accidents are based on information compiled by the police which does not include medical data that would enable this problem to be identified and statistics to be compiled.
170WThe possibility of dangerously poor ventilation with integral crash helmets has been investigated internationally by the appropriate inter-Government technical body. Experiments have shown that it can only occur at low speeds when riders can compensate by opening their visors. I am aware of reports from a Bristol hospital claiming that poor ventilation could have been a contributory cause of some motor cycle accidents. The British Standards Institution has recently considered the available evidence and concluded that it does not justify any change in the current standards for crash helmets.