KOCHI: The central government made helmets mandatory for kids above the age of four while travelling on a motorcycle, amending the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988.
Recently, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) brought an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, making helmets mandatory for children who are between nine months and four years old.
They have to wear a fully covered crash helmet or a bicycle helmet and a safety harness while riding pillion.
The motorcyclists have also been directed not to increase speed more than 40kmph while carrying children below the age of four.
The new rule has reportedly become a matter of concern for helmet manufacturers, parents and health experts.
Availability
According to many parents, securing helmets for children above the age of four itself is an ordeal. If the rule makes helmets mandatory for infants, the situation may become worse, they say.
Manufacturers can only start production when the weight and size are finalised. This means, there will be a period during which the availability will be close to nil.
A rule that came out on
June 1 mandates using helmets that bear the ISI mark. “Even before the Centre considered passing a law, many parents used to purchase helmets for small kids as a safety measure, sometimes even as a toy for them. But they won’t qualify once the new notification is passed. The earlier rule on mandatory ISI mark will also trigger a shortage,” said Santhosh Arackal, proprietor of Toyo Auto Agencies, Ernakulam.
Kerala does not manufacture helmets. They are often sourced from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
“Many companies are yet to produce ISI-certified helmets for toddlers,” added Santhosh.
Must for road safety
According to the data published by MoRTH, road accidents have claimed 30,148 lives in 2019. Of the fatalities, 15% were children under 18.
“Accidents involving kids are showing only negligible increase over the past few years,” said Ernakulam Regional Transport Officer P M Shabeer. In Kerala, two kids are seen riding pillion on most bikes.
“If children are seen without helmets, a fine of Rs 500 is imposed on the parents. A case will not be registered against the kids. Around 20% cases registered monthly are against adult pillion riders in the state,” said Shabeer.
Kids suffer the most when accidents happen. “Children are often held by their parents or pillion riders (usually mothers) who sit sideways on two-wheelers. The seating position itself is unsafe as they lack support, and they hardly use any protection. It is better to not take infants on two-wheelers,” says S Mahes, Motor Vehicle Inspector, Thiruvananthapuram.
Harmful for babies
The new notification has also left the health experts perplexed. Some of them opine the rule may discourage parents from taking kids below four years on two-wheelers.
“Regardless of how small the helmet is, it strains the muscles. Helmets protects the head, but the neck injury it causes in infants is unavoidable, especially during long rides,” said Dr S Mahesh Kumar, senior consultant, Orthopaedic department.
A child’s skull only reaches full growth when they are two years old. “Medical experts would advise you to not take kids on two-wheelers,” he adds.
Parents too gave a mixed response.
“Kids already find it difficult to wear masks. Helmets will be heavy for their soft heads, and they’ll tend to bend their heads while travelling. This can be dangerous. It is better to direct parents to use a baby carrier, so the baby can lie on the rider’s body safely,” says Nimisha, mother of a one-year-old.
IT professional Pournami Azad supported the decision. “My child is five years old. She has been wearing a helmet since she was three — even before the rule was put forth. Helmets are a safety measure and should be worn regardless of age,” she says.