'Safety Harness, Crash Helmets': Centre's Safety Recommendations For Riding With Child On Motor Cycle

An Official Gazette of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified draft rules for riding motorcycle with a child below 4 years. Includes use of safety harness and crash helmets.

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New Delhi: With two-wheelers being the vehicle for masses in India, the Centre is now making sure that safety provisions are there for a child being carried on a motor cycle. 

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has drafted rules in the Motor Vehicles Act, recommending safety provisions for two-wheeler drivers while riding a motor cycle with a child below four years. 

Safety Provisions For Child Carried On Motor Cycle

The draft recommends that if a motorcyclist is carrying a child aged four years or below, then the driver is required to secure the child with a harness. 

The harness should have a pair of straps attached to the vest forming loops shouldering the driver. This way the driver can ensure that the upper torso of the child is safely attached. 

The draft rules layout specifications of the harness to be lightweight, adjustable, durable, and waterproof. The harness needs to be of heavy nylon or multifilament nylon material with high-density foam and should be capable of carrying 30 kilograms of weight. 

If your child is between the ages of nine months to four years, then the draft rules recommend the use of crash helmets. The helmet should fit the child’s head perfectly. A bicycle helmet can also be worn. 

Apart from safety equipment the draft rules also specify a permissible speed limit while riding with a child. The speed limit shall not exceed 40 kilometers per hour with a child riding as a pillion. 

These draft rules have been notified through an official Gazette by the Ministry and have sought feedback from the public within thirty days.