Does a helmet with a faceshield count as DOT approved eyewear?
Posted on December 26th, 2009 by admin
I just got a motorcycle and the law here requires DOT approved eyewear if you’re on a permit like me. Does the slide-down faceshield count on my half-helmet as meeting this requirement, or do I have to get additional goggles/glasses?
You got it right. If you have a helmet with a full face-shield, this counts as approved eye protection. Al long as you keep your face-shield down.
But here is what I do to go one better.
I bought a pair of motorcycle sunglasses at a local department store. I found these at Wal-Mart for about $25. They look like ordinary sunglasses but have some handy differences.
They have foam around the edges so they act like goggles. They are polarized to prevent glare. They are photo sensitive which makes them automatically lighten or darken as needed. This is handy late in the day when the sun starts going down. They lighten enough that I don’t need to pull over to remove them. They have rubber on the pads to help make them stay on better.
I use a full face helmet with a full face-shield. However I like to raise or partially open the face-shield when I am stopped to get a little extra air. It also helps with fogging on cool mornings on my commute to work. These sunglasses give me extra protection so I don’t need to immediately lower the face-shield when I start moving again.
I don’t wear these because I have to, I wear them because I want to. When I was very young and just starting to ride motorcycles I would occasionally not wear eye protection. It didn’t take long and something hit me in the eye. Man did that hurt. It scratched the eyeball. Had to put cream in my eye and keep it covered for about a week. Luckily there was no permanent damage. But I never want this to ever happen again.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:54 am
You got it right. If you have a helmet with a full face-shield, this counts as approved eye protection. Al long as you keep your face-shield down.
But here is what I do to go one better.
I bought a pair of motorcycle sunglasses at a local department store. I found these at Wal-Mart for about $25. They look like ordinary sunglasses but have some handy differences.
They have foam around the edges so they act like goggles. They are polarized to prevent glare. They are photo sensitive which makes them automatically lighten or darken as needed. This is handy late in the day when the sun starts going down. They lighten enough that I don’t need to pull over to remove them. They have rubber on the pads to help make them stay on better.
I use a full face helmet with a full face-shield. However I like to raise or partially open the face-shield when I am stopped to get a little extra air. It also helps with fogging on cool mornings on my commute to work. These sunglasses give me extra protection so I don’t need to immediately lower the face-shield when I start moving again.
I don’t wear these because I have to, I wear them because I want to. When I was very young and just starting to ride motorcycles I would occasionally not wear eye protection. It didn’t take long and something hit me in the eye. Man did that hurt. It scratched the eyeball. Had to put cream in my eye and keep it covered for about a week. Luckily there was no permanent damage. But I never want this to ever happen again.
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December 27th, 2009 at 5:05 am
I just dont understand this point why Governments should spend public taxpayers money to implement laws for people for doing something that they should be doing out of sheer common sense anyways.
If you are riding a motorcycle, you will need protection. The degree of protection you will need will directly depend on the kind of riding you do, the speed you maintain, the traffic condition & density, road condition and the obvious risks you carry from all these parameters put together.
Its simple to get the answer – if you are a commuter riding your 100cc motorbike through city traffic, and ride mostly between 10kmph – 50kmph through thick urban traffic, you should have one type of protection (helmet, eyewear, light dustjacket, normal shoes).
On the other extreme – if you are an enthusiast, riding a 800cc machine high-speed for fun on twisties, mountain roads, etc, you will need "serious" protection – like kevlar gloves+jacket+pants with crash protection pads for specific areas, track boots, balaclava, full face helmets with anti-glare shatter-resistant visor, etc.
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December 27th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Does the helmet say DOT onthe rear-bottom of the helmet or have the DOT approval stitched on the inside lining? If not, it is not Department Of Transportarion approved. Most police will overlook when stopped since it is full face or does not look like a novelty helmet. I would go to a dealership or helmet store and get a true DOT approved helmet if you are concerned for your safety, it’s worth the few extra dollars.
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Father in Law is retired cop. I Worked at 2 HD dealerships and an aftermarket shop.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I wasn’t aware that DOT was in the business of approving anything, so I don’t know how your local cops could enforce such a requirement.
It the helmet is meets DOT standards then you could argue that the face shield is approved eyewear.
Most cops don’t know as much about motorcycle law as you do, anyway. Don’t worry about it.
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