Helmet Manufacturers Association Urges Government Intervention to Ensure Road Safety

In the wake of a startling report released by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) indicating a significant rise in road accident fatalities. The Helmet Manufacturers Association has issued a pressing call for immediate action. 
 

According to a report titled “Road Accidents in India - 2022,” over 50,000 lives were lost in bike accidents last year due to lack of helmet usage. The report further disclosed that 71.3% of them were drivers, and the rest of the 28.7% were passengers. 
 

The report further highlighted a 9.4% surge in fatalities and an 11.9% YoY rise in accidents, underlining the urgency of the situation. Furthermore, the number of injured individuals grew by 15.3% in 2022, as opposed to the previous year. 
 

Two-wheelers were identified as the primary contributors to both accidents and fatalities for the 2nd consecutive year. This number significantly overshadowed light vehicles like cars, jeeps & taxis.
 

As per the report, the majority of these accidents took place in rural areas, accounting for 68% of deaths caused by road accidents. At the same time, the urban areas accounted for 32% of the total deaths. 
 

Expressing deep concern, Rajeev Kapur, President of the Two-Wheeler Helmets Manufacturers Association, emphasised the need to enforce mandatory helmet use laws strictly. “Despite the Government of India having established a law, there remains a severe lack of enforcement, mandating helmet use is within the purview of the states, and unfortunately, many have not taken this matter seriously, leading to countless preventable deaths.”
 

Mr Kapur further highlighted the pertaining issue of counterfeit helmets that have plagued the market. He said, “It is concerning that there are unscrupulous helmet sellers on almost every street corner, contributing to the problem. They manufacture and sell fake and spurious ISI helmets that not only fail to protect riders but also increase the chances of head injuries.”

The association has also urged the removal of the 18% Goods & Services Tax (GST) on helmets, emphasising that helmets are life-saving devices rather than mere accessories. Eliminating GST would make genuine ISI helmets more affordable and encourage widespread usage, aligning with motor vehicle rules.
 

Mr. Kapur stressed the importance of raising awareness about the necessity of ISI parameter helmets & the hazards posed by substandard alternatives. He stated, “Manufacturing a genuine ISI parameter helmet involves considerable costs, making it impossible for anyone to sell a helmet at the remarkably low prices, such as Rs 200, as seen even in the capital city of Delhi.”

The report further highlighted Tamil Nadu as the state with the highest number of road accidents on national highways in 2022. It was closely followed by Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of individuals killed in road accidents. These numbers significantly underscored the urgency for immediate measures to promote helmet safety and control road accident fatalities.
 

The call for stricter enforcement of helmet laws and a crackdown on counterfeit helmets has been made by the Helmet Manufacturers Association. This underscores the urgent need to address this pressing issue to save countless lives on India's roads.

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