16 CFR § 1203.11 - Marking the impact test line.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t16/s1203.11"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "16 CFR § 1203.11 - Marking the impact test line."
title_number: 16
title_name: "Commercial Practices"
section_number: "1203.11"
section_name: "Marking the impact test line."
chapter_name: "CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS"
part_number: "1203"
part_name: "SAFETY STANDARD FOR BICYCLE HELMETS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "15 U.S.C. 2056, 2058, and 6001-6006. Subpart B is also issued under 15 U.S.C. 2063. Subpart C is also issued under 15 U.S.C. 2065."
regulatory_source: "63 FR 11729, Mar. 10, 1998, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1203"
---


# 1203.11 Marking the impact test line.

Prior to testing, the impact test line shall be determined for each helmet in the following manner.

(a) Position the helmet on the appropriate headform as specified by the manufacturer's helmet positioning index (HPI), with the brow parallel to the basic plane. Place a 5-kg (11-lb) preload ballast on top of the helmet to set the comfort or fit padding.

(b) Draw the impact test line on the outer surface of the helmet coinciding with the intersection of the surface of the helmet with the impact line planes defined from the reference headform as shown in:

(1) Figure 4 of this part for helmets intended only for persons 5 years of age and older.

(2) Figure 5 of this part for helmets intended for persons age 1 and older.

(c) The center of the impact sites shall be selected at any point on the helmet on or above the impact test line.