Lighter Helmets under New BIS Standards

· BIS Standards Revised for Two Wheeler Helmets

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through S.O. 4252 (E) dated 26th November 2020 has issued the ‘Helmet for riders of Two Wheelers Motor Vehicles (Quality Control) Order, 2020.’Protective Helmets for Two Wheeler Riders have been included under compulsory BIS certification and the publication of the Quality Control Order.

As per the directions of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety for considering lighter helmets in India suiting the country's climatic conditions and that for ensuring compliance amongst citizen to wear the helmets, a Committee was formulated. The Committee had experts from different fields, including expert doctors from AIIMS and also from BIS. The Committee in March 2018 after detailed analysis in its report recommended lighter helmets in the Country, and Ministry accepted the report.

As per the recommendations of the Committee, the BIS has revised specifications through which it is expected to make lighter helmets. With good competition in the Indian markets and with numerous helmet manufacturers, now it is expected that the competition would enable for good quality and lighter helmets demand.

The total number of two-wheelers being manufactured in India annually is nearly 1.7 crore.

QCO would mean that only BIS certified two wheeler helmets would be manufactured and sold in the Country for two wheelers. This would help in avoiding sale of low quality two wheeler helmets in the Country which would in turn help in protecting citizens involved in two wheeler accidents from fatal injuries.

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