The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has recently amended Rule 138 of CMVR, 1989, prescribing norms related to safety measures for children below four years of age when riding on a motorcycle.
As per the notification, under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the central government may, by rule, provide for measures for the safety of children below four years of age on a motorcycle. Children will be required to put on a safety harness and a crash helmet, among other measures.
The ministry states that a safety harness is an adjustable vest worn by the child, which in turn, is attached to the shoulder loops of the rider’s vest in a way that the upper torso of the child is securely attached to the rider.
The protective gear, including the safety harness, shall meet the following requirements till such time the specifications are prescribed under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016).
Furthermore, the rider shall ensure that the child pillion passenger aged between nine months and four years will wear a crash helmet which fits his/her head, or wear a bicycle helmet complying with [ASTM 1447]/[European (CEN)BS EN 1080/BS EN 1078] until the specifications are prescribed by the BIS. Lastly, the speed of the motorcycle — seating a child up to four years of age being carried as a pillion — shall not be more than 40kph.
The rules will come into force one year after the date of publication of the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022.
