New Two-wheelers In Maharashtra To Soon Come With Two Helmets

Two-wheeler registration in Maharashtra will be stopped immediately if manufacturers fail to comply

Here’s some good news for all those folks who’ve been against the helmet rule. Two-wheeler manufacturers will soon be required to provide two helmets along with every new two-wheeler purchase. Moreover, dealerships will be required to provide evidence to that effect in the documents submitted for registration in the Regional/Dy Regional Transport Offices across Maharashtra.

The information comes via a letter sent from the Transport Commissioner of Maharashtra to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). It states that the aforementioned rule laid by court and Motor Vehicle Rules (MVR) must be followed under all circumstances. The rule also states that two-wheeler registration in Maharashtra will be stopped with immediate effect if manufacturers fail to comply.

Also Read: Does Wearing A Helmet Save Your Life?

The PIL stated that Rule 138(4)(f) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 stipulates that every manufacturer, at the time of a two-wheeler purchase, must provide a protective headgear conforming to specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. Unfortunately, some manufacturers were found violating the laws by not supplying any protective headgear at the time of the sale, thereby increasing the chances of fatal road accidents.

The revision in state laws will hopefully bring offenders in line. As per the new decree, the two helmets supplied with every two-wheeler must adhere to BSI standards. In other words, they must be ISI-marked helmets.

Also Read: Helmet Certifications Decoded: What is ISI, DOT, ECE & Snell?

Over the years, there have been numerous fatal two-wheeler and four-wheeler accidents.  As per statistics from the state transport department's road safety cell, 30,084 accidents were reported in Maharashtra between January and November 2019, in which 11,387 people were killed and 26,428 others injured.  About 29 per cent of deaths can be attributed to non-utilisation of helmets while 16 per cent are due to non-use of seatbelts.

The move should hopefully help curb these numbers and press motorists to follow road safety rules.

Source: ExpressDrives