Right now, it’s mandatory for dealerships to provide one ISI-certified helmet on purchase of a new two-wheeler, so with the new proposal, Gadkari aims to improve pillion safety as well
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, the Union minister of road and transport, Nitin Gadkari proposed that 2 ISI certified helmets must be included on every two-wheeler sold in the country. The proposal aims to reduce road fatalities.
India is one of the biggest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world with over 18-million domestic two-wheeler sales as per data from SIAM (2023-2024). We are also pretty high up when it comes to road accidents. It’s reported that 69,000 deaths are caused every year because of riders not wearing helmets. As of now, dealers are required to provide one ISI-certified helmet on purchase of every new two-wheeler. However, in many cases dealers do not comply or customers are not proactive on this front either. Also, we feel only full-face helmets need to be mandated, and not half-face ones, for better protection. More importantly, the rule needs to be enforced properly nationwide (particularly in rural areas), if it comes to effect.
Along with this, the government should also encourage two-wheeler manufacturers to educate their customers about the right helmet size for them, and the importance of securing the helmet straps to get the maximum protection. In most of the cases, the helmets are not able to save the riders because of wrong helmet selection or not locking the helmet strap properly. Always prefer an ISI marked helmet as they have been passed by the Bureau Of Indian Standards (BIS). Only ISI-certified helmets are legal in India. While some may complain that wearing a helmet isn’t comfortable or convenient considering our weather, it goes a long way in saving one’s life in case of an accident. Afterall, the value of life is always greater than anything else.
Follow the BikeDekho WhatsApp channel to get instant updates from the automotive world.
