Transportation

Visors are used in two major ways associated with transportation. In automobiles, along the top of the inside of the windshield are two sun visors, one for the driver and one for the passenger. These are opaque visors made with a hard plastic core around which is padding and an exterior of leather, acrylic, or fabric. These visors are attached to a swinging arm hinge, which allows them to be flipped up when not in use, flipped down when required, or swung out to block light from the side window. Many modern passenger automobiles have mirrors and lights built into the visor.

The second type of visor associated with transportation is the visor used in many types of motorcycle helmets. Early motorcycle helmets did not have a visor. The first visors on motorcycle helmets were used to protect the wearer from wind and being hit by bugs or other small objects. Soon, these visors began to be tinted or polarized for use in bright daylight. Eventually, government agencies and motorcycle enthusiasts began to realize that open-faced helmets and helmets with flimsy visors lacked adequate protective capabilities in the event of an accident.

Many of today’s visors for modern motorcycle helmets are constructed from high-quality, impact-resistant polymers. These are designed to withstand the force of impact as much as possible. When the visor does break, it is designed not to shatter in large, jagged pieces. Government agencies set standards for the protective capability of motorcycle helmets in many countries. In Austria and New Zealand, this standard is the AS/NZS 1698:2006.