Summary: Turbans don't substitute for bike helmets. That can make it very difficult for those who must wear a turban
for religious reasons to use helmets. There is a headscarf workaround for Sikhs called the patka, but it may not be
practical when bikes are used for transportation, and does not solve the problem of a Sikh's uncut hair. A Canadian company has now developed a patka-compatible helmet with a bulge in the top to accommodate hair.
In several jurisdictions where helmet laws have been considered or passed, there have been protests by local residents of
the Sikh faith that a turban is an integral part of their religious precepts but cannot be worn under a helmet. Sikh
soldiers refused to wear helmets during World War I and World War II. They fought with turbans on their heads. In the
21st century some Sikhs are taking off their turbans, but most have not.
Australia was the first to face this problem back in the early 1990's, and some Australian states granted a special
exemption to their helmet laws for Sikhs. In the intervening years we understand that at least some of those exemptions
were dropped because "it was not a problem." In 2013 the issue surfaced in Australia again, with a newspaper story
indicating that an exemption would be permitted in Queensland, and that the exemptions in Victoria, South Australia and
Western Australia are still legally effective.
Some accommodation with the practice has developed. "During swimming and sports, the Turban is replaced by a small scarf
called a 'patka' or handkerchief which is knotted at the top to keep the hair intact. In fact the patka is becoming more
popular with young Sikhs at school." This quote come from Canteach, a Canadian site. Otherwise, most Sikh men still wear the
turban as a sign of their faith.
The ASTM headgear subcommittee has discussed the problem but has never had a suggestion for a design that could
accommodate a Sikh turban, nor for a standard that could be used to certify such a design. Devout Sikhs do not ever cut
their hair, and the hair is wound on the head beneath the turban, adding another fit variable.
One Canadian test lab tested a Sikh turban for impact characteristics, and found that they probably would not provide
much impact protection, certainly not enough to approach the performance of a helmet meeting any of the national or
international bicycle helmet standards.
The Queensland Transport and Main Roads Ministry is quoted in the same newspaper article cited above as saying:
"In a 2010 study conducted by Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, it was found that...the forces transmitted to the
head at comparable impact energies, when wearing a Sikh turban are almost five times greater than wearing a helmet, for
the major part of the head area."
Turbans may vary according to regional styles, and can differ considerably in size, shape, density and other
characteristics, so it would be difficult to design a helmet to fit over or under them. A turban-shaped helmet is
probably not a viable option even if it were acceptable to Sikhs, because the traditional Sikh turban is meticulously
wound, and it would be difficult for a turban wearer to remove their turban, ride in the helmet, and rewind the turban
after the ride. Winding a turban over a helmet would eliminate ventilation and result in a very large headgear, while
still requiring that the normal turban be taken off to ride.
Our conclusion has been that lawmakers should either grant Sikhs a formal exemption, as some have, or expect that a
law-abiding Sikh covered by the law will not be able to ride legally unless they compromise their religious precepts and
remove the turban to put on a helmet. Law enforcement for most helmet laws is sporadic at best, and if the law does not
provide an exemption for turban-wearers it is likely that many law enforcement officers will simply let them ride on
without interference. That is not the same thing as a legal exemption, but it preserves the Sikhs' ability to use
bicycles at their own risk of head injury. But see the section on Bold Helmets below for a possible solution.
Finally a Sikh helmet
In 2023 a Canadian company now called Bold Helmets launched a new helmet designed for kids to accommodate a topknot of uncut hair with a patka. It has a unique bulge in the top. It does not, of course, accommodate a full turban. You can check out the Bold Helmets website here. Bold began with kids' helmets, but beginning in March 2024 has a medium model that will accommodate adult heads up to 59cm. They certify their models to CPSC, EN 1078 (and the UKCA version) and the ASTM F1492 skateboarding standard. Riders with long hair looking for a dome on top to pile it in, or those with dreadlocks needing a nook to tuck them in may find it useful. The company hopes to eventually produce a hockey helmet. You can hear an interview with the CEO here for background on the company.
Here is an entirely different context for turban use: this article says moped riders in Amsterdam who wear turbans have been told to
wear a helmet or not ride a moped: