HYDERABAD: While consumers check their daily dose of masalas for the ISI mark, they choose to ignore the quality of helmets that they wear to save their lives in case of severe two-wheeler accidents. That is perhaps the reason why Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has received no applications for certification of helmets manufactured in the city or state for two-wheeler riders.
As it turns out, local manufacturers of helmets have not at all applied for a BIS or ISI certification for their products. Traffic officials too say they can only advise people that they must only use helmets that carry the genuine BIS or ISI mark. A BIS official said: “The government is yet to enforce the rule of having all helmets hallmarked.”
The official pointed out that many helmet manufacturers cut corners and most of them abstain from applying for the ISI or BSI mark, as they are sure they would fail the certification process. Only national-level manufacturers opt for these certifications.
Traffic cops, who deal with the numerous accidents within the twin cities, concede that there are several helmets in circulation in the market that do not meet the criteria laid down by BIS. However, customers prefer picking them up as they are sold at much cheaper rates.
“Only helmets that pass quality standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards must be sold in the country. It is not advisable to use products of inferior quality,” Anil Kumar, additional commissioner, Hyderabad Traffic Police, told Deccan Chronicle.
In case the state government insists on such certification, unorganised players, who account for 70 per cent of the helmet market, will have to comply with quality standards. That would also avoid deaths caused by head injuries suffered because the helmets themselves end up cracking.
Compulsory certification of helmets is a grey area, officials of the Traffic Department and Road Transport Authority confess. They have no idea the agency that can check sale of spurious helmets.
