Modes of Transportation

Helmets and Protective Gear for Moped and Scooter Riders

The only protection moped and scooter operators can count on is their protective gear and helmets. In the event of an accident or a fall, they help avoid injuries or reduce their severity.

Protecting the driver and passenger

In addition to the mandatory helmet, the driver and passenger of a moped or scooterA 2- or 3-wheel passenger vehicle equipped with an electric motor or a gasoline-powered engine with a cylinder capacity of no more than 50 cc and an automatic transmission. should wear a jacket, pants, gloves and footwear specially designed for riding a motorcycle.

The passenger must be as well protected as the driver.

Helmets are mandatory and must comply with standards

Under the Protective Helmets Regulation, every person riding on a moped or scooter must wear a protective helmet that complies with one of the following manufacturing standards:

  • DOT FMVSS 218 (United States Department of Transportation)
  • Snell Memorial Foundation
  • ECE Regulation 22 (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
  • CAN-3-D230 (Canadian Standards Association)
  • Specifications for Protective Headgear for Vehicular User Z90.1 (American National Standards Institute)
  • British Standards Institute

Important: Businesses specialized in helmet sales or rentals must supply helmets that comply with current manufacturing standards.

For maximum protection

Helmets must be equipped with visors. If the helmet does not have a visor, the driver must wear protective goggles.

Furthermore, your helmet should:

  • cover your entire head (full-face helmet) to offer the best protection against impacts, poor weather and wind
  • be perfectly adjusted yet comfortable:
    • it should not squeeze your head or forehead, and should be able to move only a few millimetres
    • it should be well ventilated to allow proper airflow and prevent fogging up
  • be constructed from carbon or composite materials such as fibreglass
  • offer an unobstructed view so you can properly see blind spots
  • ideally, be light coloured or have reflective patterns

Full-face helmets

Full-face helmets offer the best protection. If your visor is clear, we highly recommend that you wear sunglasses on sunny days.

Never buy a used helmet!

Even if your helmet is recent, it might have sustained an impact and be damaged. The damage may not be visible.

Eye protection: mandatory

Drivers must wear eye protection. If the helmet does not have a visor, the driver must wear protective goggles. This requirement applies when the driver is travelling in a zone where the maximum speed limit is over 50 km/h.

For adequate protection, the visor or protective goggles must be:

  • shatterproof
  • designed so as not to restrict your field of vision
  • clean and maintained regularly
  • designed to adapt correctly to the helmet or, in the case of goggles, to the contour of your eyes

While not mandatory, it is highly recommended that passengers wear eye protection as well.

Protective gear

Jackets and pants

For maximum protection, your jacket and pants should, among other things:

  • be the right size and fit your body snugly
  • preferably be made of leather or anti-abrasive material such as Kevlar or Cordura

Gloves

Your gloves should:

  • be well adjusted
  • be made of leather or anti-abrasive material such as Kevlar
  • be supple so they do not interfere with your manoeuvres
  • have adjustable wrist straps

Watch out for synthetic materials!

Avoid pieces of clothing with a liner made of synthetic materials, because they can burn the skin in a fall. Jeans should also be avoided.

Footwear

In addition to covering your ankles, your boots should preferably:

  • be specially designed for riding a motorcycle
  • be made of leather or anti-abrasive material
  • have grip soles and flat heels
  • be water-repellent

Last update: June 21, 2022