The new regulations will hopefully make helmets lighter and safer
According to the Bureau of Indian Standards’ (BIS) new regulations, helmet manufacturers will have to meet new norms for motorcycle helmets sold in the country from January 15, 2019 onwards. The new law will require manufacturers to produce helmets that do not exceed 1.2kg in weight. The current regulation allows helmets to weigh within 1.5kg.
The new law will hopefully force helmet manufacturers to improve the quality of helmets that not only comply with Indian standards but also international standards like DOT, ECE, SNELL and Sharp. Having said that, expect the prices of the new helmets to go upwards of Rs 2,500.
Once the new regulations come into effect, the sale of non-ISI helmets will be an offence punishable by law. There are a number of bikers who try and slip past the law using ISI-marked industrial-type helmets instead of helmets purpose-built for bikers. Hence the Union transportation ministry has made it mandatory to specify that the new helmets will be meant for motorcyclists only.
Current statistics suggest that over 75 per cent of helmets sold across India do not even meet ISI standards. The market is flooded with sub-standard products that compromise on safety despite a fourth of all road deaths involving two-wheeler occupants.
Commenting on this development Rajeev Kapur, the president of the ISI Helmet Manufacturers Association, said, “This step will help bring down the number of fatal road accidents and will curb malpractices and the sale of spurious and fake roadside helmets.”
What’s worrying is the fact that most well-known international helmets that meet safety standards such DOT, ECE, SNELL and Sharp weigh around 1.3kg to 1.5kg, and the ones that weight less than 1.2kg cost a fortune. So, how BIS plans on getting the weight down to 1.2kg while meeting safety standards and keeping the price low is anyone's guess. Hence, we really hope that the reduction in weight won't affect the quality of helmets.
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