Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Mad rush for helmets in city

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: While the traders are busy arranging helmets for two-wheeler riders in the capital, the motorists are in a fix over making the right choice from the various brands that have flooded the market.

Helmets of reputed companies have arrived from the metros to some major shops in the city. Automobile spare parts dealers too now sell helmets. Many of the brands that have hit the shops are equipped with features like provision for ventilation, air circulation, dark shade visors and high-quality fibre padding.

Although bright multi-coloured headgears embellished with graphics, designs, motifs and slogans cost several hundred rupees more, youngsters prefer them.

Women and the middle-aged prefer the single-coloured one without designs. Shopkeepers say that riders prefer full-face helmets to escape from sun and pollution.

Road safety experts point out though norms have been prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards for helmets, the public does not pay much attention to it while purchasing them. Many leave the shops without even bothering to check whether the headgears suit them or whether they are comfortable in them.

As per the IS 4151 standards prescribed for helmets for motorcyclists in India, the shell of the helmet should be of non-metallic materials and the protective padding should be expanded polystrone or any other material with similar properties.

The comfort padding should be expanded polyurethane foam, polyethylene or any other suitable material. The materials for chin strap and headband should be sweat resistant, non-irritant and should not be known to cause skin disease to the wearer.

The metal parts should be either inherently corrosion resistant or should have been treated for corrosion resistance.

As per norms, the helmet should be fitted with ear flaps, neck curtain, a detachable peak, a visor and also a lower face cover. The helmet should not dangerously affect the wearer’s ability to hear. Sound transmission loss should not be more than 10 db. Ventilation should be provided in the helmet for the rider’s comfort.

There should not be external projections not more than five mm above the outer surface.

The chin strap of the protective helmet should not be less than 20 mm wide and it should not include a chin cup. The mass of the complete protective helmet without peak, visor and detachable lower face cover, if provided, should not exceed 1500 gm.

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