Cheap helmets may prove you costly

NOIDA: Bikers, beware. Be ready to pay fines if you are caught wearing helmets not matching the quality guidelines set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). In the wake of increasing road accidents, the UP transport commissioner has asked enforcement officials in the city to conduct quality checks of helmets.
Officials said that a lack of road safety norms leads to many fatal accidents.From January to June last year, 1,342 people died and 1,258 people were injured in the state in road accidents. There were a total of 2,658 road accidents during the same period. Rachana Yaduvanshi, ARTO (administration) said the transport department will talk to traffic police to jointly launch enforcement programme.
The BIS says that a helmet is one of the most important items of personal protective equipment that should be used by two-wheeler riders. Helmets which do not live up to quality standards may not prevent injury or death in severe accidents. The BIS standards lay emphasis on quality of helmets’ shell, protecting padding, comfort padding, retention system, chin strap, chin cup, lower face cover, neck curtain and others. Transport officials said that the shell of the helmet should be of metallic or non-metallic materials but conforming to the standard requirements.
Transport officials said that there is no endorsement on a particular brand or company, but the helmets should be certified by BIS.
Rajiv Narayan Mishra, SP (Traffic), said the traffic police have conducted intensive drives in the last few months and many people have started following traffic rules. “Our priority is strict enforcement of traffic rules. We are trying to ensure all two-wheeler riders use helmets. We will later check the quality of helmets used by them,” Mishra said. The enforcement officials said that they will seize the ordinary helmets sold on road sides as they do not provide any protection in case of an accident.