Non-ISI And Half Face Helmets Banned In Bengaluru And Mysuru

The Traffic police in Karnataka has undertaken a mission to enforce two-wheeler safety. It is stopping and fining riders who are spotted wearing non-ISI, half-face and even open-face helmets. This enforcement comes under the ruling of Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which bans the sale of non-ISI marked helmets.

According to reports, Bengaluru and Mysuru traffic police have stated that henceforth, only ISI certified full-face helmets will be permissible on the road. Failure to do so will result in the helmet being seized and destroyed, and along with it further legal action will be taken against the sellers of said helmets. 

So, what is an ISI mark? To put it simply, It is a certification mark given by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This government agency sets a minimum acceptable standard for all the industrial products sold in India. The ISI mark itself assures the buyer that the product in question adheres to all the quality, safety and performance norms. 

A helmet with ISI mark signifies that it has gone through various safety tests. For example, the buckle of the ISI certified helmet is tested with a load of 105kg. Comparatively, a non-ISI, locally made helmet buckle is only capable of handling loads up to 5kg, which will result it in coming off in the event of an accident, rendering it useless. 

In our opinion, this is a good move. The questionable quality of a locally made non-ISI helmet has always led to serious injuries and even fatal accidents. The ban on half-face and open-face helmets also makes sense considering how little protection they offer to the rider. When you think about how the majority of Indian riders opt for cheaper helmets instead of prioritizing their safety first, the decision to enforce this ruling is certainly very welcoming. We certainly hope the traffic cops all over India follow suit.