Among 148 brand names of helmets are circulating on the market, 48 have been protected by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Department. However, consumers felt disappointed after STAMEQ announced that only 10 out of the 48 protected brand names have met the Vietnamese standards (TCVN 5756:2001). These figures showed that consumers’ rights and interests have not been protected properly.

The Government recently issued a resolution requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets on all roads as of December 15, 2007. This means a great number of helmets will be launched on to the market to meet road users’ increasing demand, and users do not know how to distinguish between genuine and fake ones.

According to STAMEQ General Director Ngo Quy Viet, it is difficult for relevant ministries and agencies to take all samples for tests, as they cannot know the exact number of helmets circulating on the market at present.

There is a growing concern about measures to be taken by State management agencies to define the quality of helmets. Tests done by the Standards and Quality Agency No3 recently showed that 45 out of 60 helmet samples have failed to meet the technical specifications.

Le Van Kieu, chief inspector of the Ministry of Science and Technology said helmet manufacturing plants must make public the quality of their helmets as the product is associated with human life.

“We will heavily fine any businesses which market their products without making public technical specifications of their products certified by the local Standards and Quality Measurement Agency,” said Mr Kieu.

In October, inter-sectoral inspection teams will be dispatched to helmet manufacturing plants to look into their production and trading capacity. They will then make public names of products that meet and do not meet the technical specifications. Before the results are announced, consumers are advised to protect themselves by purchasing certified products. STAMEQ said it will frequently update the list of quality helmets on the mass media. 

Losses and wastefulness

STAMEQ’s official announcement came five days after the Government issued Resolution 32 on compulsory helmet wearing on national highways took effect. This has caused considerable loss and wastefulness to society.

Millions of helmets were bought and sold on the local market, and consumers only could assess the quality of helmets according to their own experience or helmet prices. Recently, the price of helmets has increased sharply doubling or trebling the original price, but consumers had to accept it.

Late updated information created a chance for tens of thousands of low-quality helmets to be illegally imported into the local market. Many consumers purchased them not to protect themselves but to cope with the supervision of traffic police. In addition, customs and market management officers had to spend more time seizing, examining and dealing with helmets of unknown origin. Two days ago, Hanoi’s traffic police team No.7 dealt with a traffic accident, the victim of which was wounded more seriously in the face and head by debris from a low-quality helmet.

Low-quality helmets cause loss to both road users and the State. Only illegal traders can gain profits from the current helmet market.

From September 21, all helmets failing to meet the announced standard requirements will be confiscated and destroyed thanks to an adequate legal ruling.

Ten helmet brands meeting technical specifications are Amoro, Protec, HSL, Hitech, Xanaha SuZuKi, Honda, Azura, Sankyo, Amono and Moto.

According to initial statistics, Vietnam has 37 helmet producers, including 10 businesses which have their product brand registered. Most helmet producers operate in Hanoi, Thai Binh, Hung Yen, HCM City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai.