Can I be done for dark visor?
I am part of a riding group near Reading. One of the group told me I need to be careful riding with my tinted visor as he says I could be prosecuted if the police notice and stop me. Is this correct – I bought it at a well known shop so I would be surprised if it is illegal.
Mohammed, Berkshire
Answer
Your visor must either:
- meet a British Standard and display a BSI Kitemark; or
- meet a European standard offering at least the same safety and protection as the British Standard and carry a mark equivalent to the BSI Kitemark (UNECE Regulation 22.05).
During daylight hours a tint of up to 50% is ok according to official Government guidance. Legal tinted visors will be marked “For daylight use only”. Before setting off, make sure your visor is clean and free of smudges, scratches or marks which could affect your vision, especially in strong sunlight.
It is largely down to different police forces’ and officers’ discretion as to whether or not to pull over and speak to someone riding in worsening light with a dark visor. If an accident happens investigations into the visor are often commenced by the investigating officer of by insurance companies, the latter with the aim of potentially reducing the value of any claim, for example if the tinted visor in poor light was a contributing factor. The police use a device called a “tintman” to work out how much light the visor lets through.
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