Interpretation ID: nht78-3.6

DATE: 09/07/78

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; J. J. Levin, Jr.; NHTSA

TO: Motorcycle Trades Association, Inc.

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This responds to your letter concerning the "edge treatment" requirements of Safety Standard No. 205, Glazing Materials, as they would apply to rigid or flexible plastics to be used for windshields on motorcycles. You asked for confirmation that one-piece plastics are required to meet the edge treatment requirements set forth in the standard for non-laminated glass.

The edge treatment requirements of Standard No. 205 are specified in paragraph S5.2, which incorporates by reference the SAE Recommended Practice J673a, "Automotive Glazing," August 1967. The SAE Practice specifies different requirements for "tempered" and "laminated" safety glass. The agency interprets the distinctions to apply equally to plastics. Therefore, one-piece plastic materials must meet the edge treatment requirements specified for "tempered" glazing, and laminated plastics must meet the requirements specified for "laminated" glazing.

Please contact this office if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

ATTACH.

Motorcycle Trades Association, Inc.

June 13, 1978

Office of the Chief Counsel -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Re: FMVSS No. 205 Paragraph S 5.2

In the above-mentioned section, edges of glazing materials (except in school buses) that are exposed must meet the requirements of SAE Recommended Practice J673a, August 1967.

The usual practice in the motorcycle industry is to use rigid or flexible plastics for windscreens and windshields for motorcycles. In most cases, these plastics meet the requirements of the ANSI Z26 standard in full; occasionally, these materials may use the (Illegible Word) from the chemical tests in Z26 when used in areas not requisite for driving visibility.

SAE J673a in virtually all of its wording speaks specifically of "Safety glass" and the edge treatment requirements differ for "tempered" and "laminated" materials. Please confirm for us that one-piece (that is, non-laminated) plastics materials are required to meet the edge treatment requirements set forth for non-laminated glass in the SAE standard.

Thank you for your assistance,

Bruce Henderson Vice-President, MTA