The survey of 29 locally available bicycle helmets found that six carried substandard labels, three had chin straps that broke easily and one contained no inspection label at all.

Meanwhile, a survey by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) on the inspection labels of 363 bicycle helmets found 14 to be below standard.

Foundation and bureau officials advised consumers to select products bearing labels to indicate that they have passed inspection by the BSMI when shopping for bicycle helmets.

Also, consumers should replace helmets that have suffered any impact or are damaged, they said.

Results of a study conducted last year by the Taipei Medical University for the Bureau of Health Promotion show that between 1999 and 2002, an average 3,700 people were injured every year while riding a bicycle.

Minor cuts and bone fractures accounted for the majority of the injuries, with the death rate for bicycle accidents registering between 3 percent and 5 percent, according to the results.

The results mean that at least 10 people were injured per day while riding a bicycle and that one person died in a bicycle accident every two days on average during the survey period.

According to the results, all of those killed were not wearing helmets at the time of the accidents, which made them vulnerable to fatal neck or head injuries.

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