In spite of the provision in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) that the two-wheeler manufacturers or dealers should mandatorily supply two helmets “to the buyer at the time of purchase of new vehicles”, the dealers in the State are not following the law.
Besides, provision in Rrule 138 (4) (f) of Central Motors Vehicles Rules, 1989 states that at the time of purchase of the two-wheeler, the manufacturer of the two-wheeler or the dealer should supply the protective headgear (helmet) conforming to specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986.”
However, these rules are blatantly flouted by the dealers in the State despite the fact that more than 72% of the casualties in road mishaps in the State are of two-wheeler riders. By providing helmets awareness can be created among the riders, particularly in the semi-urban and rural areas where helmetless driving is rampant and enforcement is absolutely zero, said Road Safety Council member Subrat Kumar Nanda.
Besides, the failure to comply with this rule prohibits a new two-wheeler from getting registered with any RTO. But the two-wheeler dealers in the State are not providing helmets but are getting the new vehicles registered as now registration is done by them, Nanda added.
The flouting of the MV Act rules by the dealers can be ascertained from the fact that a rattled Transport Commissioner and the Chairman of State Transport Authority (STA) in a circular (02 of 2021) on September 2 stated, “It is noticed that most of the two-wheeler dealers in the State are not supplying BIS marked protective head gear (helmet) to every purchaser at the time of sale of two-wheelers though there is explicit provision under the statute that two-wheeler manufacturers shall supply protective head gear conforming to BIS mark with every vehicle.”
For such reasons some two -wheeler owners are found driving their vehicles on the road without protective headgear which is a serious threat to road safety. (I Rule 138 (4) (f) of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989), the circular added.
The Transport Commissioner also instructed the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to issue necessary directions to all two-wheeler dealers under their jurisdiction to strictly adhere to the above instruction as well as provision of law.
“Regular enforcement be conducted at all dealer destinations to ensure that they are supplying protective headgear (helmet) to every purchaser conforming to BIS standards while selling the two wheelers and for violations e-challan be drawn against erring dealers,” he added.
Besides, dealers should be instructed to affix signboards at conspicuous places at their showrooms to create public awareness so that people can claim protective head gear at the time of purchase of two-wheelers, the Commissioner stated.