US regulators drop plans to update motorcycle helmet standards

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has withdrawn its 2015 proposal to update motorcycle helmet safety rules. This means the current standards, which have been in place for decades, will remain unchanged.

For years, regulators have tried to update how motorcycle helmets are defined and tested, but these efforts have repeatedly stalled. This withdrawal means that new helmet technologies and designs will continue to be evaluated against old standards. It also means that the agency will not add preliminary screening requirements or an alternate compliance process, which could have made it easier for manufacturers to innovate.