By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 21 Feb: A road accident happens every minute in India according to the official portal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The scenario even gets worse when child pillion riders have to face severe unfortunate consequences, making them the most vulnerable. To ensure their safety, the Centre has finally mandated compulsory use of helmets and harnesses for children below 4 years of age riding pillion on two-wheelers.
Children between the age group of 9 months and 4 years of age on two-wheelers are mandated to wear special crash helmets. Those below four years will also require a safety harness attaching the child to the driver of the motorcycle. The safety harness is a vest to be worn by the child, which shall be adjustable, with a pair of straps attached to the vest and forming shoulder loops to be worn by the driver. This way, the upper torso of the child is securely attached to the driver, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This would restrict the child’s unnecessary movement while pillion riding.
Also, the helmet and harness worn by the child should satisfy the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
These provisions will be added by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Act. Also, anyone breaching the above-mentioned amendment will be liable for Rs 1000 fine. The speed of a vehicle with a child pillion rider will be limited to 40kms/hr.
These new rules will come into effect a year from the date of issuing the notification, which means they will be implemented from 15 February, 2023. Of course, people can adopt the provision immediately for the safety of their children. Previously, in 2016, the government amended the Motor Vehicles Act to incorporate children above 4 years’ old, making helmet wearing a compulsory provision.
Considering the geographical terrain and complex road connectivity in Uttarakhand, these new provisions are likely to improve safety quotient while riding in the mountain regions.
“The Centre has devised the rule and as soon as Uttarakhand Police receives its implementation guidelines, we will ensure compliance with the new rule,” said Mukhtar Mohsin, DIG, Traffic, Uttarakhand.
