Decision on dark visors due

The verdict on whether or not we can legally wear dark visors on UK roads is finally ready to be made… a year after Government-commissioned experts first started sifting the evidence.

The Department of Local Government, Transport and the Regions (DTLR) delayed the report earlier this year by demanding (of all things) that visors be tested in darkness as well as during daylight hours.

But now the Institute of Consumer Ergonomics, which is carrying out the report, is hopeful the result will be published before the end of the year.

ICE’s Dean Southall said: ” We’re just about concluded here, it’s being written up at the moment. The next stage is to send it to the client (DTLR) for any revisions.

As the law stands visors which block out 50 per cent of light are legal as long as they are only used during daylight hours. Race visors, which many of us use in daylight even though the law says they are unsafe, allow around 20 per cent of light through. Even a clear visor blocks 20 per cent of the light.

Indications earlier in the year were that race visors were likely to be made legal, at least during daylight.