The Two-Wheelers Helmet Manufacturers Association of India have requested for stricter enforcement towards making helmet usage mandatory. The Association has been proactive in taking up the issue of helmet safety on Indian roads.
“Urbanisation has led to doubling in traffic fatalities in the past few years with the number of deaths around 3,00,000 per year as per WHO report. Most people affected are pedestrians and two-wheeler users,” said Rajeev Kapur, president, Two Wheelers Helmet Manufacturers Association and MD, Steelbird Hi-Tech India at this year’s SIAM seminar.
The Association stated that they welcomed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' move to bring the two-wheeler helmet into Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandatory certification list and implement the new India-specific helmet standard, IS4151:2015. However, it also said that in order to reduce fatalities, stricter measures to be taken.
The Association went on to say, "Notification issued by MoRTH on bringing two-wheeler helmets in mandatory BIS list needs to be gazetted immediately. Awareness alone will not work. Strict enforcement is required. The government should make helmets mandatory across India.”
The Association has also requested the ministry to make mandatory the provision of a certified helmet to be provided with the sale of a two-wheeler. An amount of Rs. 6000 crores and a working time of 2-3 years is estimated by the Helmet Manufacturers Association to meet the demand of all motorcycle users in the country.