Is my dark visor legal?

I belong to a bikers club and I was warned by a fellow member that he thinks my tinted visor could be illegal (too dark) and I could be in trouble with the police for it. I bought it from a reputable website shop so I find this a bit surprising. Should I be worried?

Justin, Barking

Answer

The rules state that a 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 day time a tint of up to 50% is acceptable according to Government guidance. Legal tinted visors will state “daylight use only”. You should always make sure your visor is clean and free of smudges, scratches or marks which could affect your vision.

Different police forces and officers tend to use their 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 the police or insurance companies can investigate the visor and any impact it had on an accident. An insurance company could potentially reduce the value of a claim if the tinted visor was used in poor light and was a contributing factor to an accident. The police use a device called a ‘Tintman’ to work out how much light the visor lets through.