Some retailers have been flouting the law by selling helmets which don't meet legal safety standards in Bermuda, Government revealed yesterdayi.

Acting Transport Minister (pictured)made the disclosure as MPs passed legislation to include new, higher, standards for helmets sold on the Island.

Currently, all helmets must meet British safety standards, but the new rules will also include other standards ? the US Department of Transport, a United Nations grade, and the Snell standard ? which are as good or better. When the new law is passed, every rider must own a helmet which meets one of these standards, and it will be illegal to sell headgear which does not meet the standard.

But shops will be able to continue to sell any stocks they have - or which are on order - which do not meet the current standards.

Mr. DeVent told MPs said: "There is a standard in place, but the reality is that the standard has not been enforced. Even though the British standard is the standard of record, there are helmets offered for sale that meet other standards, and there are helmets on sale that don't meet any standard.

"The Road Safety Council identified this as an issue that should be resolved as they want to ensure that all helmets that are sold and used by local and visiting cycle riders are of a quality that will protect these riders."

And he urged all riders to buy the best helmet they could afford.

The US Department of Transport standards are voluntary, and when the US government has tested some of those claiming to be in compliance, many have failed the test, he added.

The United Bermuda Party supported the legislation, but MP asked why merchants were being allowed to order helmets when they knew they would not meet one of the standards, and he said rigorous enforcement was necessary.said even buying the best helmet a rider could afford did not guarantee it would meet the minimum standard.

Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister said retailers would sell off cheaply those helmets which did not meet the standards, but suggested that anyone could put on a DOT sticker on a helmet and said that he could get a piece of software and put Microsoft on it. He said: "The standards should just be published with the Gazette to make the public aware."

Shadow Health Minister pointed out the dangerous practice of some riders putting cell phones inside their helmets., the shadow Attorney General, congratulated Government and said merchants feared changed and there was fear of their vested interests. This was allied to "the same redneck Bermudian attitudes about resistance to change like over seatbelt legislation last year".

But he said unless Government enforced the legislation "we're all here wasting our time".

He said his sympathy for merchants was "limited" because they knew the changes in legislation were coming.

Government Whip said there were around 20,000 bikes on the roads and it was impossible to make the legislation retroactive to cover all helmets currently in use. But Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister said none of the helmets which do not comply could be "grandfathered in" ? all helmets would need to meet one of the new standards. And he said people needed to be educated clearly about what the symbols on helmets meant to ensure they complied with the new legislation.