NEW DELHI: The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has launched a special nationwide drive against the manufacture and sale of substandard helmets to protect two-wheeler riders.
The initiative comes after growing concerns over the quality of helmets available in the market and their critical role in safeguarding lives on the road.
The DoCA has written to District Collectors (DCs) and District Magistrates (DMs) to launch a nationwide campaign targeting manufacturers and retailers who sell non-compliant helmets for two-wheeler riders.
To date, there are 162 licenses of manufacturers of helmets that have been cancelled or expired. Besides, to date, a total of 27 searches and seizures have been conducted on misuse of BIS Standard Mark or Violation of quality control orders (QCO) in regards to IS 4151:2015 and cases are filed in various courts.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has enforced the QCO as of June 1, 2021, mandating that all helmets comply with the BIS standard IS 4151: 2015.
Any helmet manufactured or sold without this certification violates the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. It has been observed that many helmets sold on roadsides lack the mandatory BIS certification, posing significant risks to consumers.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, DoCA, emphasised the need for awareness of the use of Bureau of Indian Standard mark helmets to safeguard the lives of millions of two-wheeler riders.
While emphasising the need to spread awareness among citizens on the matter, Ms Nidhi Khare, Secretary, of the Department of Consumer Affairs said, "Helmets save lives, but only if they are of good quality. This initiative is crucial in removing unsafe helmets from the market and educating consumers about the importance of BIS-certified products. We urge all stakeholders to actively participate in this campaign for the safety of our citizens."
The government has already made wearing a helmet mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 as it is crucial for safety measures for riders to prevent fatalities in road accidents.
The effectiveness of a helmet is highly dependent on its quality.
Sub-standard helmets do not adhere to the prescribed standards and fail to provide the necessary protection, undermining the very purpose of wearing them.