The use of non-ISI (Indian Standard Institute) marking helmets has been on the rise in the city. This has become a matter concern. Experts say that motorists are more concerned about the cost of helmets than their safety. As a result, the use of sub-standard helmets has gone up. That way, though they are able to avoid penalty, they are risking their lives.
“Traffic police only check if a motorist is wearing a helmet. They don’t check for quality. One cannot blame the traffic police, as it is hard for them to check quality as well,” said Sundeep K, a road safety expert.
Cops say due to lack of an enforcement mechanism to ensure two-wheeler riders wore ISI-mark helmets, many buy sub-standard and poor quality helmets, which don’t provide safety in case of a mishap. “It is up to a motorist to wear ISI-mark helmet or non ISI-mark helmet,” said Anil Kumar, additional commissioner of police, traffic.
Two-wheeler riders comprise 50% of victims of fatal accidents. Most deaths occur due to head injuries.
“A poor quality helmet hardly protects. The cushion inside wears off soon. But quality headgears are expensive, while the cheap variants are easily available. So, many people opt for those,” said Vinod Kumar Kanumala, founder, Indian Federation of Road Safety.
A roadside helmet vendor said safety was hardly a concern for motorists while choosing a headgear. “Many people lose helmets often. So, they feel it is a waste of money to buy expensive helmets. We sell helmets ranging between `250 and `1,000,” said Ramulu, a roadside helmet vendor at Film Nagar.
Earlier this year, Karnataka High Court ruled that two-wheeler riders who became victims of accidents would be eligible for the insurance amount only if they were wearing ISI-mark helmets. “It should be made mandatory for motorists in the city too. Only if they face difficulty in getting their insurance for accidents, would they be compelled to wear ISI-mark helmets,” said Sundeep.
