All helmets sold in Vietnam mustbear a new CR quality seal from July 1, the Ministry of Science andTechnology (MoST) announced.

Tran Quoc Tuan, head of MoST's Department of Product QualityManagement, said new nationwide quality standards for locally made andimported helmets are needed.

It would help authorities improve management of the helmet manufactureand sales industry in Vietnam and prevent consumers from relying onsubstandard products for protection.

The new CR seal would replace the current CS or RS certification onhelmets. CS stamps on helmets will be invalid on July 1, according tocircular No.23 issued by the Ministry last year.

Khuong Kim Tao of the National Traffic Safety Committee said the CRstamp would certify helmet manufacturers have been tested by authorisedagencies and help customers recognise the fakes and copies that floodshops and market places.

MoST recently asked the departments of science and technologies toinspect the helmet quality in 63 cities and provinces.

The inspection teams inspected over 1,800 manufacturers andbusinesses. They fined 950 facilities and confiscated over 41,000helmets with total penalties of 1.5 billion VND.

Despite the crackdown, bogus helmet sales continued, with pricesranging from 25,000 to 40,000 VND, in popular styles without CR stampsor place of manufacture labels.

Nguyen Van Lap, director of Nhua Chi Thanh Trading and ManufacturingLtd Co that produces CHITA, OMONO, SAFE brand helmets, said hiscompany has invested tens of million dong to make certification standardhelmets but was losing because of cheap helmets on the market.

A representative of MoST's Market Management Department saidauthorities need to enforce the new safety standards and raise publicawareness about helmet safety.

Tran Quoc Tuan said there should be more penalties for motoristswearing substandard helmets./.